Bricolage
by Order of Arcadia
Summary: n. A construction made of whatever materials are at hand. Overhaul of the last half of Season Eight including: Lotor redemption, Acxa's arc resolved, the Olkari's return, Allura refusing the entity, fight scenes that make sense, and no major character deaths. (You know what I'm talking about.) No slash, Allurance in the background, focus on friendship and the plot. NOW COMPLETE
1. Ep 8: Clear Day

**A/N: Ya girl is back from the dead with her fix-its because screw season eight, that's why. This will be a six-part series. Reviews are appreciated. Updates will probably be sporadic, depending on the length of the "episodes" and my work schedule. That said, here's what to expect:**

 **Episode Eight: Clear Day** \- The entity calls out for Allura, trying to take her under its control. But she refuses.

 **Episode Nine: Trial by Weblum** \- With the Atlas grounded after a Robeast fight, tensions get high. Acxa and Keith are forced to confront their shared pasts.

 **Episode Ten: Friends Like These** \- When the paladins find a familiar face in the pod of a Robeast, the whole crew struggles to trust him.

 **Episode Eleven: Green Light** \- Some old friends arrive to help Pidge build an energy sensor that can track Honerva.

 **Episode Twelve: The Last Battle** \- Our heroes take the fight to Altea, where Honerva threatens to tear a hole in all reality.

 **Episode Thirteen: The End Is the Beginning** \- After a battle with Honerva at the beginning of all reality, the universes begin to rebuild.

* * *

 **Episode Eight: Clear Day**

Allura was exhausted. She should have been in bed—asleep. Resting. Anywhere but here.

But no. Instead, she stood on unsteady feet in front of the sickly green light of a containment pod, staring into the thing that whirled around inside as if it were alive and yet seemed to be a deep, black void, like a small black hole to nowhere, more than it was an actual _thing_.

It took. All it did was take. She could feel that, as she lifted a shaking hand toward it. Something heavy and dreadful pulled her closer, sucking her in, worse than the cold vacuum of space and far, far deadlier.

"Take it," Lotor was whispering in her ear. "It will give you the power that you need."

The power...they were powerless. They were adrift and helpless, with no hope of salvation against an unstoppable enemy. If she could only have more power...if she could be their salvation...

 _A quiet part of her brain whispered, "It's not true. It can't be true. Lotor is far away. He is not trustworthy. He is dead. He's not here."_

But Lance was on her other side. "What are you waiting for?" he demanded. "Take it."

He could be here. She'd urged him to go to Clear Day without her, but maybe he'd decided against it. She trusted Lance. She knew he'd never steer her wrong.

 _"And he'd never push you, either," the quiet whisper continued. "He's kinder than this. It isn't right. It isn't true."_

But her mother—her mother was on the other side of the room. Pleading. Begging her to save their race. How could she turn her away? She missed her so much...

"Allura. Allura..."

 _"She's dead," said the whisper. "It is sad, but it is true. You have moved on. Remember. Remember. It's a lie. It's all a lie."_

Allura drew in a shivering breath, her eyes bloodshot and wide. It all came back to her in a blast, what this thing had done to Tavo when the witch discovered his betrayal. It had attacked him from the inside, ripping him apart from the mind outwards, almost killing him—his screams...his _screams...!_

"Take it, Allura.

"Take it."

"Take it."

No. She could feel the draw, the powerful vacuum, and if she managed to focus for just one moment she could hear sinister, distorted voice under the voices she knew so well. The voice of the _Thing._

The voice of the witch.

"Take it!"

" _No!_ " Allura covered her ears and dropped to the hard, cold floor. Her voice was hoarse in her throat, rough with struggle and disuse. " _No_ , I will not!"

The Thing shrieked and began to bang against the walls of its container, as if to break out—as if to get to _her_.

"Take it, Allura!" Lotor shouted into her ear.

"What are you _doing?!_ " snapped Lance. He sounded upset and angry. "How could you be so stupid?"

Allura shuddered and shut her eyes tight. Tears trickled down her cheeks and splattered on the floor as it tilted underneath her.

"I won't. I _will_ not. It's a lie. It's all a lie! Leave me!" she cried.

Shrieking, pounding, pulsing in her ears...

Her head hit the floor.

The spinning stopped. All was quiet. Nothing and no one was there but a quiet ache in her head, the soft overhead lab lights, and an angry little thing whirling around in a jar.

The lab door slid open. "Princess Allura!" cried a new, worried voice, followed by footsteps. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

Two thin arms lifted her off the ground. Allura had a shaky view, for a moment, of a human's face with glasses and white hair— _"Pidge's father," her tired brain supplied_ —before her eyes fluttered closed, exhausted.

"Get a stretcher in here," cried Sam Holt, his voice far away as if underwater. "We have to get her to medical!"

Allura fell asleep.

* * *

She awoke surrounded by pillows and clean, white sheets. The room was under-decorated and sterile, and monitors beeped softly by her bedside.

Ah. The med bay. Of course.

"Hey," said a soft voice at her side.

Allura almost recoiled when she saw Lance— _"don't you dare say what you said in that room," a part of her mind hissed_ —but ever so slowly, she relaxed, as she stared more into his shaky smile, as if he was trying to hide his fear and be strong for her sake.

Yes. Yes, she thought with a smile. This is the real Lance.

"Hey," she whispered. Her voice sounded thin.

"It's good to see you awake." Lance pulled something out of his blue coat pocket and put it in her hand. "I didn't find anything sparkly, but...I got you this."

It was a tiny plush of the Blue Lion. Allura held it between her hands and felt a flutter of joy in her chest. "This is perfect," she whispered, cradling it close. "Thank you."

Lance's smile fell. "Allura..." He picked up her hand on the bed-sheet and squeezed it. "What happened? They said they found you passed out in a lab. I felt terrible that I wasn't here to help you, I...I could have stopped this if I'd just—"

"Please," she interrupted, squeezing his hand, "don't blame yourself. None of us could have seen this coming."

She sank further into the pillow, the exhaustion of the mental battle returning. "Honerva tried to reach out to me through the entity we captured. It made me hallucinate people I that l—that I care about, urging me to take it. Perhaps," she said wearily, "so that I could be controlled."

Lance's eyes were wide with horror. "You didn't, did you?"

Yes, Allura thought with an internal chuckle. Most definitely the real Lance. "No," she said with a smile. "It is still in its containment. I refused."

Lance gave a small laugh in relief. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "Of course you did." A little glint came to his eye. "You're strong, Allura. Even stronger than Honerva."

Allura laughed weakly. "Oh, I don't know about that. I only resisted her."

"Well, that's all we can do, isn't it?" Lance smiled. "And maybe if we can just keep resisting her—we'll actually win this."

Allura had to smile. "Yes. Perhaps we will."

* * *

 **Next up - Episode Nine: Trial by Weblum**


	2. Ep 9: Trial by Weblum

**Replying to guest, "Some reader":** Gosh, if that isn't the biggest mood. What really miffed me is when the other paladins just went along with it too. Like yeah, no, we don't care that our friend has an obviously evil entity inside of her! This sounds like a great idea! NO. JUST. NO. The whole plot line reeks of forced conflict and the writers panicking over the approaching deadline. So I changed it. And in this fic, we won't have to speak about Allura in the past tense...

* * *

 **Episode Nine: Trial by Weblum**

Keith woke up in his armor, slumped against the backrest of his pilot's seat in the Black Lion. His ears were still ringing in his helmet, and as he groaned and sat up, pushing against the joysticks, Black didn't respond. The lights in the cockpit were dim.

That's when he remembered. Voltron was still formed. They'd taken a massive hit in the battle against one of Honerva's Robeasts, and as Voltron crashed into the planet's surface, he'd blacked out.

"Is...is everyone okay?" he rasped. It felt like a dumb question to ask.

Over the internal radio, Pidge groaned a response. "M' here," she mumbled.

"What hit us?" asked Lance. He sounded groggy from pain.

"The Robeast's projection form," whispered Allura. Blue started to respond, and Voltron raised its knee slowly, sending a cloud of dust into the air. "To create a corporeal form out of nothing requires advanced Altaen alchemy. I learned about it on Oriande. I just never thought it would be used against us..."

"Uh, guys?" Hunk asked slowly. "Look."

He didn't have to say any more. The entire planet was a jagged desert, dust whirling up into clouds where there were once plants, pools of water, and flourishing cities. All of the quintessence had been drained from the planet, leaving nothing.

"All of those people. Their homes..." whispered Pidge.

"We were too late." Allura sounded choked with tears.

"Let's just try to get up." It wasn't Keith's strength to comfort his team, but even he couldn't raise his voice above a whisper. "We did what we could."

The lights began to blink on in Black's cockpit. External systems and additional screens leaped online, and the comms opened to Shiro's worried voice. "This is the Atlas to Voltron, do you copy? I repeat, do you copy?"

"We read ya, Shiro," answered Keith. Voltron slowly rumbled and got to its feet. "Our systems were out for a bit, but we're back online."

"Good." Relief rang heavy in Shiro's voice. "Team, the Atlas is suffering a power outage. We're running communications on backup systems now. As soon as you can get airborne, rendezvous at our location."

"Copy that. Pidge?"

"I've got coordinates," she answered. "We're just a couple doboshes out. Wha—oh, no."

"What? What 'oh no'?" Hunk asked, panicking. "First we lose, and now the Atlas is down, and how could this even get any worse?"

"My scanners are picking up a weblum in this star system," answered Pidge. She didn't sound frantic yet, but she was picking up pace as she talked. "It's headed this way."

"How long do we have?" demanded Keith.

"At the speed it's going, about ten vargas."

"Then we gotta move. The Atlas _has_ to get airborne before daylight ends." He shoved both joysticks forward, and the thrusters roared, rocketing Voltron across the landscape. "Let's go."

* * *

Only the orange screens, emergency lights, and blue lines in Shiro's Altean arm gave off a faint glow to light the Atlas' Bridge. All other lights were dark. Shiro, Coran, Slav, and Sam Holt were gathered around the podium for the power crystal, and they looked up when the door slid open.

"What happened?" Keith burst through the door, the other paladins behind him, and ran to Shiro's side.

Sam Holt answered slowly, looking up from his portable screen. "The infinite mass crystal shattered. We didn't think it was possible, but the transfer of quintessence in the battle must have overloaded it and caused a rupture."

Coran knelt on the floor, the shattered pieces in his glove. The crystal shards no longer gave off even the faintest glow. "It was our last memento of the Castle of Lions," Coran said sadly. "Our home."

Allura gave a strangled cry and dropped to her knees beside him. Lance was immediately at her side, and Coran put his arm around her shoulders.

Keith turned to Sam. "How are you still running the ship?"

"There's still some residual power stored in battery cells on board," answered Mr. Holt, "but it's only enough to run communications and vital life support systems. Even then, it should only last us about six quintaints before oxygen runs out."

"We don't have that kind of time!" cried Pidge. "There's a weblum heading this way, and it'll be here in less than ten vargas. We've gotta get the ship airborne!"

"Oh, that is terrible," moaned Slav, clutching his head with two of his many hands. "I knew I should have eaten the duflax eggs scrambled instead of fried."

"We sent a distress signal out to members of the coalition for help," said Shiro, "but this is an isolated system. Help might be a long time in coming."

"But that's not all!" Slav spoke up, pointing one of his many first fingers in the air. "The hit that ruptured our quintessence store also caused damage to the teleduv. Half of our scaultrite is burned and cannot be used to wormhole!"

"Oh, man," Hunk groaned, his shoulders slumping. "I shouldn't have asked how this could get worse."

"There's gotta be something we can do," Keith said, his teeth gritted.

"Let me know if you have any ideas," Shiro answered, sounding exhausted.

Lance was still kneeling on the floor by Allura, but his thin eyebrows scrunched as an idea hit him. "Hey..." He lifted his head and turned to Hunk. "You guys remember Taujeer? The acid planet?"

"Oh, yeah, I remember!" Hunk cracked a smile. "The Yellow Lion got some awesome, huge claws there."

"Right. The ark with the refugees had a thruster out, and Voltron managed to push it into the upper atmosphere so it could fly away." There was a gleam in his eye, and the beginnings of a smile on his face. "Maybe we could try that."

"The Atlas is a _lot_ bigger than the ark was, Lance," Pidge said, frowning.

"Yeah, but now we've got those huge wings!" retorted Lance.

"I dunno, he could be on to something," said Hunk with a shrug.

"If you could get us out of the planet's gravitational field," Sam Holt said, hand on his chin in thought, "a small burst from the thrusters would be enough to set us on course. We could drift the rest of the way on momentum!"

"'Cause there's no friction in the vacuum of space!" cried Pidge, her eyes gleaming, and Mr. Holt beamed at her.

"It's worth a shot," Shiro said with the beginnings of a smile. He knelt by Allura and put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you up for this, Allura?"

She lifted her head, her eyes still tear-stained, but a determined, wobbly smile on her face. "Let's try it."

* * *

 _"Form Voltron!"_

The humanoid mech was dwarfed by just the nose of the Atlas. As Voltron looked up, the enormous ship cast its shadow over them, the nearby suns just specks of light on the other side of the hull.

"Oh, man, I'm having second thoughts about this," groaned Hunk.

"We've got to try it," Keith answered in his best team leader voice. "Team, get ready. On my signal, give it everything you've got!"

Voltron crouched underneath a raised part of the Atlas' hull and braced its back and hands against the white metal. The joints in the lions creaked as they began to take the enormous ship's weight.

"Thrusters, now!" shouted Keith.

All five lions shot jets of blue fire, whipping the sand and dirt under their feet into a huge cloud. All of the pilots strained with the effort.

"Nothing's happening!" yelled Pidge.

"Hunk, Allura! Give us a boost!" shouted Keith.

"Right!" the two pilots shouted back.

Two bayards in, and twisted. The jets on Voltron's feet doubled and tripled in size, roaring into the earth. Heat waves began to ripple up from Voltron's feet, and the ground began to sear into glass.

"Still nothing!"

"We can see that, Pidge!" Hunk shot back.

"How about those wings, team leader?" Lance barked at Keith.

"Please, please work," whispered Keith. He slammed his bayard into the port and locked it in.

With a blast of blue light, Voltron's wings sprouted from its back and the engines roared. All five pilots yelled over the comms at once as they strained against the hull.

One second turned into two turned into five, but it felt like an eternity as sweat dripped down Keith's forehead and nose. An alarm sprang up on Black's dashboard, blaring and flashing red.

"It's too much! We're overheating!" cried Pidge.

"Abort!" rasped Keith.

Voltron powered down with a whoosh, crashing to one knee. The wings disappeared.

Keith was gasping for breath. "Pidge. Anything?"

She sounded despondent. "We raised the nose upwards by about seventeen degrees."

There was a moment of silence, and then Hunk cried, "What, that's it?!"

"I'm sorry, guys," whispered Lance.

"It's not your fault," Keith answered, biting back his disappointment.

"We lost a varga," Pidge droned on. "Weblum is still on its way."

Allura gave a loud noise of anger. "I'm sick and tired of this!" she shouted, and a bang resounded over the comm as if she'd slammed her fists on her dashboard. "Those Robeasts could be off draining other innocent planets, and here we are stranded!"

"It isn't a good situation, but we're not turning our back on the Atlas," said Keith. "If it weren't for them, it could have been far worse. Let's just get back inside and come up with a new plan."

"Uh, guys?" asked Pidge. "We've got incoming."

Keith looked up. Sure enough, high in the atmosphere was a long, purple ship—a Galra cruiser.

"Oh, no, not now!" groaned Hunk.

"Paladins—!" began Keith, gripping the controls, but he never finished as his jaw dropped open instead.

"This is Krolia, hailing Voltron," said a familiar voice over the comms. "We received your distress signal and we're here to help."

"Mom," whispered Keith.

"Whoo, we're saved!" Hunk whooped, and the other paladins were cheering too.

Keith had to chuckle. "We're not in the clear yet, guys. But I'm happy to see her too."

* * *

The paladins returned to the Bridge to find it a little more crowded than they'd left it. The MFE pilots hung back in a corner, talking with Veronica, Iverson, and Acxa.

"They're just parking the cruiser now," Iverson said in his gravelly voice. "Should be up any minute."

"Okay, wait," Risani poked in, waving her hand flippantly, "you're telling me that the Galra are _helping_ us this time? As in, the same Galra who were trying to _kill us?!_ "

"It's a rebel faction called the Blade of Marmora," Keith explained as he stepped up to the group, helmet tucked under his arm. "I'm a member. They're on the good side."

"I trust _you_ , Keith," Acxa remarked with her arms crossed, "not necessarily them. I've been betrayed by my own kind too many times to count."

The looks she got from the MFE pilots suggested that maybe she should lighten up a little.

"My _mom_ is leading them," Keith insisted. He dropped the frown himself and tried to sound encouraging. "We can trust them. It's gonna be okay."

Acxa just frowned deeper and turned away, pursing her blue lips.

Just then, the door slid open. Krolia stepped through the doorway, Kolivan behind her. Keith crossed the Bridge in record time and only slowed down to hug his mom. She laughed in surprise and returned the embrace.

"Welcome back," he said, smiling into her shoulder.

"Thank you," she said with a chuckle and released him. "Sorry it took so long. We came as soon as we cou—"

Her eyes lost focus, and the smile dropped. When Keith turned to see what she was looking at, all she saw were the MFE pilots and...

"Acxa?" whispered Krolia, her eyes wide.

Acxa had been staring blankly as if she'd been stunned, but then she turned away, arms crossed.

"It's good to see you both again," said Shiro, shaking Kolivan's hand and then extending it to Krolia. "We could really use your help."

"O-of course," she stammered, shaking his offered hand. "Just tell us what you need."

"The Atlas is grounded due to a shattered power crystal," answered Shiro, "and we've got a weblum nine vargas out. We've tried to get her airborne, but...no success. Until we can get the power back on, we're dead in the water."

"If it's a crystal you need, there's a balmera the next system over," Kolivan remarked flatly. "We passed it on the way here."

"It's about four vargas out," added Krolia. "If you hurry, a scout team might be able to get there and back just in time."

"That—that's great," breathed Shiro. "Cutting it close, but it's just what we need. I'll send a team immediately."

"There's more," Krolia added urgently. "We have more intel on where the Robeasts are headed next."

"You'd never get there in time without a jump," Kolivan ground out. "Much less without power."

Shiro winced. "That's the other thing. Our teleduv has taken damage. There's no way we have enough scaultrite for a wormhole, even if we did have the energy."

"Well, there is a weblum coming," Pidge remarked, sticking her head in long enough to push up her glasses.

Hunk, who was listening, suddenly turned a little green. "Oh, oh man, _not_ doing that again. I, for one, volunteer to go to the balmera, please."

"You might have to," answered Shiro. "I'd send the MFEs, but we can't get their ships charged until the Atlas is back online."

"If we need to recover more scaultrite, I'll go," said Keith, his eyebrows set. "I've done it once. I can do it again."

"I'll go with you." Krolia set her hand on his shoulder. "There's safety in numbers."

"And I'll go too!" cried Coran, bursting out of nowhere and causing everyone in the circle (but Kolivan) to jump. "We'll just have to make it through the gills and into the second stomach—or was it the third stomach? And avoid the—! Hm." He scratched his chin in thought. "It's been a long time since I made that video."

" _I'll_ go with you," said a new voice. Acxa stood behind him, just outside the circle. "I spent pheebs in the stomach of a weblum, living only off the rations in my ship. If anyone knows how to navigate it, it's me."

Coran looked crushed.

"Sorry, Coran," managed Keith.

"Oh, no, no, it's all right," answered Coran, waving it away with his hand. "At some point all us old folks have to learn to pass the torch to the young talent. I'll just...be here. Trying to get the ship working." His shoulders slumped.

"Uh, actually, Coran," Hunk said slowly, pushing the tips of his fingers together, "I...could...kinda use your help on the balmera? Y'know, if you want to come."

"Why, of course, my boy." Coran chuckled and threw his arm over Hunk's shoulder. "It'll be just like old times!"

"Okay, but if we have to use disguises, _I'm_ in charge of wardrobe," Hunk grinned, elbowing him in the side.

"Then that settles it," said Shiro. "Hunk, Coran, you're leading a team to the balmera. Take whoever you need, and get in and out as soon as you can. Keith, Krolia, and Acxa, you're going into the weblum. Stay in communication with the Atlas. We'll take radio silence as a sign of trouble."

"Roger that," said Keith.

"Kolivan, if anything goes south, I need you to get the civilians in here aboard your cruiser," Shiro said in a lower tone. "My priority is them. A select team of us will stay here and try to keep working to get the ship up, but if we're cutting it too close..." He trailed off.

"Understood," said Kolivan, a grim look on his face.

"Good. You all know what to do."

The group broke off in different directions, Hunk and Coran chatting eagerly and Kolivan deathly silent.

"And Keith?" added Shiro.

Keith paused on his way to the door and turned around. "What is it?"

Shiro just smiled, stepped forward, and enveloped Keith in his arms. Keith's eyes shot wide for a second, but then he smiled and relaxed against Shiro, resting his face in the white coat lapel.

"Stay safe," Shiro said warmly.

"We will," answered Keith with a smile.

And then they let go, and Shiro squeezed Keith's shoulder one last time with his flesh-and-blood hand before he stepped away.

Krolia had stood by, smiling at the whole exchange, but when she lifted her head, Acxa avoided her gaze and headed through the door.

* * *

A few vargas later, Black touched down on the surface of the weblum and crouched to let Keith and Acxa out. Krolia was just behind them in a small ship from the cruiser.

As they glided towards the creature's gills, jet packs hissing softly, Keith stole a look at his mom's downcast face, then slowly leaned forward so that he caught up to Acxa.

Keith stayed by Acxa's side, trying to muster his best team leader voice, as they entered through the weblum's gills. "Look, whatever's going on, we need to hash it out now so it doesn't cause any problems," he said. "Do you two know each other?"

Acxa froze for a second, righting herself and looking at Keith with shock. Then her eyebrows furrowed. "You have no idea, do you?" she asked, her voice grim, and she glared daggers at Krolia. "I guess she didn't tell you. Why am I not surprised."

Krolia was staring past her feet.

"What are you _talking_ about?" asked Keith, trying but failing to keep the bite out of his voice.

"Did she leave you too?" Acxa asked bitterly. "Abandon you, promising she had a good reason and everything was going to turn out fine? Did she ever come back? Or did you find her out in space too?"

"I..." Keith turned to Krolia, helpless.

She still wouldn't look up.

The realization Keith him like a freighter ship. "Wait." He whipped around to face Acxa, eyes wide. "You don't mean—?"

"It's true, Keith." Krolia finally lifted her head, a deep sadness in her voice. "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner."

Acxa turned and flew away.

Keith hurried to catch up with her. "Wait. You're my sister?"

"Half-sister," Acxa corrected him with no emotion.

Keith's head was spinning. "All those times we fought—you refused to kill me. Even Lotor's other generals noticed. Did you know...?"

Acxa glanced at him with surprise. "I don't know if you realize this, but..." She looked away, her voice softer. "You look like her."

She took off ahead, and Keith tried to catch up again. He could hardly think over the sound of bubbling acid and the weblum's digestive system around him. "Look, I know how you feel," he blurted. "I felt abandoned all my life too. But if my—if _our_ mom left you, it had to be to protect you. She wouldn't just—"

Acxa whirled on him, snapping, "You don't know her like I do, Keith! _Krolia_ is someone who always leaves when the chips are down, and she doesn't come back!" Then she paused, hovering, and looked around the large cavern they were in. "Wait."

Keith paused and turned around, a sick feeling coiling in the pit of his gut. Acid hissed and popped far below their feet, gusts of rancid air whirled through occasionally, jostling the remnants of rocks in the weblum's stomach, and pus leaked from huge pores along the walls.

"Where _is_ she?" whispered Acxa.

Immediately, antibodies the size of their heads started to spew from the walls, swarming. Keith sliced through the fog of them with his sword, yelling and swatting them back from his armor, but for all of them he killed, there were twelve hundred more.

There was a screech and a crunch. Out of the green fog came a huge worm, and it barreled down and crushed a remaining boulder in huge, beak-like jaws. Another appeared, screeching, and dove right at Keith and Acxa.

"The last weblum didn't have those!" shouted Keith.

Acxa leaped in front of him, firing on the worms with her energy blaster, and the worm recoiled with a howl.

"Less talk!" ordered Acxa. "We have to get to the scaultrite glands."

Keith sliced off the head of a worm and slashed at the antibodies as Acxa covered him from behind. "Mom! Mom, come in!" he hollered into the comm. "We need your help!"

And that's what broke Acxa.

"Leave it, Keith!" she snarled, almost pouncing on him. Keith stared, taken aback, at her face contorted and yellow eyes flaring with anger. "She's _not_ coming back!"

* * *

When Hunk and Coran stepped through the door to the Bridge, Hunk with a heavy balmeran crystal in his arms, Allura almost jumped on them.

"Oh thank the Ancients, you're back!" she cried.

"What?" asked Hunk, worry fluttering in his stomach. "What happened?"

Lance popped up and shrieked, "We lost Keith. They're sitting ducks!"

"Keith! Come in! Can you hear me?" Shiro was bent over the communicator, beads of sweat on his forehead and his teeth ground together. He shut his eyes and whispered, "Come on, don't do this..."

That's when the door burst open again and someone fell through. Hunk shrieked and jumped out of the way.

"Krolia?" Shiro asked in surprise, stepping away for just a moment.

She was on the floor, covered with some sticky substance and coughing, and she raised herself on one elbow. "I got separated from them." She scanned the room quickly with a sharp glint in her eyes, then pointed to Coran. "You."

Coran looked to his left and to his right nervously, then pointed to himself. "Me?!"

Krolia had her battle face on. "I need your help."

* * *

Keith slashed at another wave of little green antibodies. There didn't seem to be an end to them. "We have to get the scaultrite back to the Atlas!" he ground out between labored breaths.

"Forget the scaultrite," snapped Acxa, her own voice hoarse. "We have to get out of here!"

Keith pulled his sword back, ready to hack off the head of another intestinal worm, when a laser shot from above did the job for him. The worm wheezed, its head burnt black and smoking, and collapsed.

When Keith glanced up, there was Krolia, looking very surprised, and Coran with his sights down the barrel of a blaster.

Krolia turned to Coran with a smile. "Nice shot."

Coran preened slightly and pulled on his mustache. "Why, thank you."

"Mom!" Keith shouted in relief. "Coran!"

"How..." whispered Acxa.

"Don't look so surprised!" answered Coran. "You'd be amazed what I can remember under pressure!" A gleam came to his eye, and he raised the blaster again. "Now let's get out of here."

* * *

As soon as Hunk lifted and fit the crystal into the podium, with Sam Holt looking on closely, the Atlas' lights flickered and beamed to life, and the engines started up in earnest. The Atlas was almost looking the weblum right in the eye as it fired all thrusters and flew off-planet, up and out into the starry blackness of space.

As soon as they were clear, a great blue beam split the sky, blasting the planet to smithereens. The weblum soared on its way through, gulping chunks of the planet into its gaping maw.

Shiro watched its progress on the big screen, anxiously hovering over the comm, with the other Paladins gathered around him. Everyone in the Bridge held their breath.

"This is the Black Lion to the Atlas," came Keith's voice, broadcast loud and clear over the Bridge. "We're on our way."

Immediately the whole Bridge was whooping and hollering and hugging each other in relief. Iverson pumped his fist in the air, roaring. Hunk slammed into Shiro and gave him a much-needed bear hug.

Shiro laughed into the comm, trying to be annoyed and trying not to cry at the same time. "You...scared me," he said with misty eyes. " _Never_ do that again."

Keith's soft laughter came back over the comms. "Sorry, Shiro."

"You'd better be." He chuckled, got a hold of himself, wiped his eyes with a thumb and forefinger, and put on his best smile and captain voice. "Now get back here with that scaultrite. There's a whole planet that's counting on us."

"Roger that."

* * *

It was long after that battle, in the Atlas' training and recreational center, that Krolia found Acxa doing chin-ups on the bars. They both wore simple clothes, their armor long since stored away, and bandages on their wounds.

Krolia stopped a short distance from her daughter. "Hey," she said quietly.

Acxa paused at the top of her chin-up. She wrinkled her nose at Krolia, then seemed to reconsider something and dropped slowly down to the mat.

"I...should apologize." Krolia began.

"No, I should," Acxa interrupted quietly. "You were just doing what you thought was right." She looked melancholy and didn't meet her eyes. "It doesn't matter how I feel."

"But it _does_." Krolia raised her head, a mother's concern flooding into her voice.

Acxa paused, then sighed. "Look," she said. "I still can't accept you back as my mother. You weren't there when I needed you."

Krolia lowered her eyes. She had to admit it was fair; that didn't change how much it stung.

"But I can trust you as an ally." Acxa wore a grim smile, and she extended her hand. "If we're going to fight to save the universe, we'll have to do it together."

Krolia gave a small smile. "That's good enough for me."

They shook hands in the Blade way, clasping each other at the wrist. And Keith, watching from across the room with a towel over his shoulders, smiled.

* * *

 **Next up - Episode Ten: Friends Like These**


	3. Ep 10: Friends Like These

**Trigger warning:** Not sure if this counts, but one character is quite suicidal and depressed. I promise I'll pick up the tone in the next episode.

* * *

 **Episode Ten: Friends Like These**

The IGF Atlas continued its slow, sure course through space, passing through star and solar systems and awe-striking clouds of colored nebulae at every turn. In a conference room in the interior of the ship, the Paladins of Voltron and the captain of the Atlas were holding a private meeting around the head of the table.

"We may have narrowly avoided death by weblum and are making some progress with tracking the Robeasts," said Allura, "but we're still sitting duflaxes until we can discover Honerva's plan and stop her at the source." The princess sat with her elbows on the table and chin resting on intertwined fingers, an intense expression on her face.

Pidge, who wasn't so much sitting in the chair as lying in it with both legs swung over one armrest, suddenly sat up with a tiny grin. "Hey, sitting duflaxes," she said with a giggle. "That's _my_ thing."

Allura dropped the serious demeanor for a moment to wink back at her.

"I don't think we're getting that information unless we can somehow find an inside source," replied Shiro. He'd smiled at the duflaxes comment too, but was all business now. "So far, Honerva's kept her plans close to the chest. And us, completely in the dark."

"An inside source, huh?" Lance mused. He was drawing circles on the conference table with his finger, but still paying close attention. "Wait," he said, lifting his head. "What about the Altean pilots?"

"They can't tell us anything," answered Shiro with a shrug. "We already tried that with Tavo, and Honerva attacked him through the dark entity before he could get very far."

"It's very powerful," Allura said with difficulty, staring through the table at something far away. Her hand tightened into a fist. "Even without it inside of me, I could feel its pull warping my mind. This is something the likes of which we've never come up against."

Lance, sitting beside Allura, set his hand gently on top of her fist. She smiled at him, unwound her fingers, and intertwined them with his.

"Mmmaybe you could take the entity out," Hunk said slowly, scratching his chin. "I mean, you got it out of Tavo. Maybe you can do it for the rest of 'em?"

"I'd try, but I fear what Honerva would do if she realizes our ruse," answered Allura. "Tavo was in a coma for two quintaints. He could have been killed."

"It's also very difficult to contain once it's out in the open," said Pidge. She'd turned all the way around so her head was hanging upside down off of her chair. "My dad said he had to MacGuyver an old disease-containment pod, and even that is taking some structural damage from the thing banging around in it so much."

"Well, what else are we gonna do?" asked Keith, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. "The pilots are the closest bet we have."

"Now that I think about it," Allura said slowly, "there _is_ a technique I learned on Oriande that might be able to help us. It's actually quite similar to what I did for you, Shiro," she said, turning to the surprised-looking man at the head of the table. "Only instead of removing their consciousness—I will merely look at it."

Shiro thought for a moment, his chin in his hand. "If you think it's worth a shot, we'll try it. No other options really seem to be forthcoming at the moment."

"Very well." Allura pushed her chair back and stood up from the table, Lance's hand still in hers. "I will speak to them immediately."

Chairs screeched slightly on the floor as they were pushed back from the table.

"Right, so we're gonna track Honerva through the brains of the pilots using weird Altean magic," mumbled Hunk. He shrugged and got out of his chair. "Eh, sounds about right to me."

* * *

"So now that you understand the situation," said Allura, facing the room of Altean pilots, "I hope you understand the dangers. If you're unwilling to take the risks, I completely understand," she went on gently, folding her hands in front of her. "But if you want to help us—this may be the only way."

The Alteans looked around at each other, unease and uncertainty on their faces. Finally, Tavo stood up. "I will go first," the tall, dark Altean said. "I don't know what I'll be able to tell you, but the entity is no longer inside of me. Honerva will have no way to harm me."

"Thank you, Tavo," Allura said with a warm smile. "I knew we could count on you."

Tavo looked back at his fellow colonists for a moment before he stepped out of the room. They all gave shaky smiles of encouragement, then went right back to staring worriedly at the floor.

 _"Oh, how I wish I could help you all,"_ Allura whispered in her mind as she led Tavo down the hall. _"Oh, how I wish this could be over."_

* * *

 _"Walk in the light of Lotor..."_

It was a few long vargas until Allura had finished searching Tavo's memories, and by then she was exhausted. She and the others met up again in the conference room at the end of the day to discuss her findings.

"Okay, the suspense has been killing me," said Hunk. "What did you see?"

"I didn't learn anything about Honerva's plan," answered Allura, blinking at the weight of the bags under her eyes, "but I did see how she controlled the Altean colony. The colonists worshiped Lotor." The name was difficult on her tongue. "They were quick to bow knee to his mother."

"Anything else?" Shiro asked gently.

Allura's jaw spread in a wide yawn. "I did see glimpses of the production of the Robeasts, and of her conquest of Oriande," she replied. "But nothing, yet, that we can use."

"That's all right," Shiro assured her. "Maybe it'll set the Alteans at ease that one of their own has come through unscathed."

"I hope so," answered Allura. Her white eyebrows knit. "Still, this could be a fluke. Tavo is the only one without the entity. The others stand a much greater danger."

"That's a problem for tomorrow," replied Shiro. "Everyone, get some rest. We'll try this again tomorrow."

As they stepped out of the conference room, Lance pecked Allura on the cheek. "You heard the man. Rest. You're working the hardest of all of us."

Allura smiled. "I will. Thank you."

* * *

The next morning, Allura was surprised to have a volunteer. The moment she entered the pilots' room, a blue-haired girl stood up from the benches.

"Princess Allura," she said, her expression deathly serious over a small twinge of fear. "I wish to go next."

Allura stood slack-jawed for a moment, but then she folded her hands and nodded. "Very well."

They got the pilot a place on a med-bay bed for relative comfort, and Allura held both hands over her temples. Blue light began to glow between Allura's palms and from the marks on her cheeks as both she and the girl shut their eyes.

* * *

 _She was inside the Robeast factory. The towering mechs, heralds of their salvation, were still under construction, sparks from the Altean magic flying as parts were fitted together and seams were shut._

 _"Come with me," Honerva said to her, one hand extended. "You've proved your dedication to our cause. I have a special task for you."_

 _..._

 _She used her magic and tools, as blue and navy parts came down the assembly line, to extract the special ore from the chaff floating to the surface as she melted the pieces down. The result was a substance black and earthy, but at times glowing and almost translucent._

 _"My queen..." she whispered, removing her goggles. "What is this?"_

 _"This is the trans-reality comet ore," said Honerva. The very name sent shivers down her spine. "You will revere and guard this carefully. It comes from Lotor's ship."_

 _"Lotor..." she whispered, looking up at her queen with awe and worship._

 _..._

 _The blades were nearly complete. They were long and sharp and a translucent magenta, almost as long as the mountains were tall. She was foolish to run her hand near the edge of the blade, but when it cut her and she cried out, she only had to watch as the blood and the cut itself disappeared entirely._

 _Amazing. What had the queen created?_

 _..._

 _"Run the tests," commanded Honerva._

 _The blades were held up by special frames, arranged in a great circle in a chamber in the mountains. Honerva had told them not to whisper a word of this place to anyone—it was only for them, the elect and the chosen, to know this secret of their salvation so soon._

 _The blades were first aimed and centered upon one target, a mound of earth with a single young tree rooted inside of it. As a switch was flipped, purple arcs of lightning leaped from the earth and into the blades, crackling and sparking. By and by, the tree withered, and the grass dried and turned brown._

 _"Very good," declared Honerva. "Second stage."_

 _The lightning stopped. The blades were raised and their tips pointed outwards, flaring like the rays of the sun. They began to spin._

 _By and by, if she squinted, she thought she began to see something sparking in the center of the circle—a white spark, come from nowhere, but it was as if she were looking through a tear like a hole in a garment, into something deep underneath._

 _And then, with a whoosh, the machine shut down. The blades ceased their spinning, and the white spark disappeared._

 _Honerva had her hand on the switch. To all the confused colonists she said, "Very good, loyal ones. Your work is complete." A light came to her eyes, a light that made one both love and hate to look at it. "The time of our salvation is near."_

* * *

Allura raised her head with a gasp, the light between her palms ceasing. "No," she whispered, distraught.

The other paladins were quickly gathered in the conference room, but Shiro was still busy at the Bridge. "Well, what is it?" stammered Lance. "Did you find something?"

"I did," answered Allura, her expression grim. "Honerva has harvested the trans-reality comet ore from Lotor's ship. She's used it to create blades that can cut between realities."

"Oh, no," whispered Hunk.

"What does she want in other realities?" asked Keith.

"I—I don't know," said Allura. "I couldn't see that much."

"Well, Lotor wanted to get in-between realities to get to the quintessence field," said Pidge with a shrug. "Maybe that's what she's after."

"I can't be sure." Allura frowned. "I just need more time. Perhaps the other pilots can tell me more."

An alarm began to blare over the PA, and all five paladins looked up. "Paladins and MFEs to your ships immediately," ordered Shiro's voice. "We are under attack. I repeat, we are under attack. This is not a drill."

Keith growled. "That's gonna have to wait. Let's go!"

* * *

 _"Form sword!"_

Voltron ducked and wove between asteroids in the belt, using them for cover and forcing the Robeast to slash them to pieces, distracting it. One timely crisscross slash from Voltron's sabers, right as the purple energy beam was about to fire, and the Robeast exploded and crashed onto the surface of a large asteroid.

"Well done, paladins," came Shiro's voice over the comms. "Retrieve the pod and return to the Atlas."

"Roger that," answered Keith.

The smaller lions touched down on the asteroid, while larger ones like Black stayed hovering nearby. The paladins, in their spacesuits and helmets, descended onto the surface, jetpacks whirring.

Allura reached the pod first. She wiped the thin coat of space dust from the canister...then drew in a shivering breath and recoiled, eyes wide.

A sunken purple face with thin, long white hair lay catatonic in the pod.

"No." Allura deployed her bayard, angry beyond belief. " _No!_ " She crashed the glass and shattered it, subjecting Lotor to the vacuum of space, ignoring the other paladins' cries around her.

Allura raised her bayard for another swing—

Blue Lion snapped her up in its jaws, and Black descended to pick up Lotor.

Hurtled back into her pilot's seat, Allura leaped to her feet in rage. "What are you doing?!"

"Allura, we have to stay calm," Keith responded as the Black Lion raised its head.

"Stay _calm?_ " she demanded, the lines on her nose growing deeper. She gestured frantically. "With _him_ here?!"

"We can't let emotions get the better of us," replied Keith, his tone exactly the same insistent calm. Then, in a quieter voice, he added, "Let's just get back to base and figure out the next step."

* * *

Lance stared through the med bay window at the body on the bed. It was hooked up to at least five different machines, three of which were beeping and one of which pushed air into his lungs through a mask on his face. This version of Lotor was sunken, withered, and frail—like a raisin is to a grape.

And Lance didn't know what to think of it.

"Should we even really be doing this?" he asked quietly to the others in the hall.

"No." Allura was firm, anger thrumming under the surface of her voice. "No, we shouldn't. We should have left him out in the vacuum of space where he belongs."

Keith leaned on the wall nearby, arms crossed, and he was starting to get irritated. "Did you guys forget that we saved the other Altean pilots?" he demanded. "They were used by Honerva too. As much as none of us like Lotor, we have to give him a chance."

"A _chance?_ " Allura bristled like a cat and shouted at Keith, "A chance to take down everything we've worked for!"

"Yeah, as much as I hate it, I'm with Allura on this one." Even Hunk looked angry. "Lotor needs to be _anywhere_ but here."

"He murdered thousands of Alteans for his own devices!" said Pidge, her hands clutched into fists. "We can't let him run loose."

"We don't have to." Standing beside Keith, Shiro seemed to be the only calm presence there. "When he wakes up— _if_ he wakes up—we'll put him in a cell and have him under constant surveillance."

"The Atlas is a battleship, not a high-security prison," retorted Pidge. "How do we know it'll hold him?"

"We don't," Keith shot back. "We don't know that he'll wake up, either."

The six of them stared through the window again. Lance could see the faint reflections of their faces on the glass.

"I still don't like this," said Hunk.

"Your anger is blinding you all to a huge opportunity," said Keith. He had his team leader voice on, and he stood up, shoulders squared, to address them. "Allura, look into his mind. See what he can tell us about Honerva. She spent huge amounts of energy to get him out of the quintessence field—he _has_ to be important to her plan."

Allura stared at the floor, scowling, and her white eyebrows quivering.

"He's catatonic," Shiro added. "The doctors say he has about a quintaint at most. You don't have much time."

Allura raised her head, her brows still furrowed. "Very well."

A door slid open and shut. When Lance looked through the window again, Allura was on the other side, staring down at Lotor like she'd like to kill him. Then she bent over, took his face between her hands, and shut her eyes, and her hands and marks on her cheeks began to glow.

Lance frowned and whispered a prayer for he didn't know what.

* * *

 _He was a child. He asked who his mother was and got no answer—only that she was his father's greatest weakness._

 _..._

 _He was young and learning to be a leader. He formed alliances with a subjugated planet, a beautiful world of lush, green trees and flowing rivers, and worked with its leaders to create invaluable resources for the empire. He was happy._

 _But his father was not pleased._

 _The witch sent electricity through his body, punishment for failing to crush his subjects under his feet. When he woke up, the planet was engulfed in red, angry flames. All the friends he'd made were dead._

 _Something broke deep inside of him._

 _..._

 _He was at her side. She was beautiful and intelligent, with a thirst for knowledge and a love for her history, just as he had once been. He couldn't help himself getting swept up in the excitement of learning, of companionship, of happiness._

 _He had to remind himself constantly that it was all a ruse. That he was using them. That this was all a ploy for his own, more important ends._

 _But somehow—as he leaned in and kissed her—deep, deep inside of him, it felt real. So very real. Connection...acceptance...knowledge...comfort...trust...everything he'd wanted since he was young, everything he'd ever had to tell himself not to chase or desire._

 _It was here._

 _It was at his very fingertips._

 _It was true. He was the one who had to tell the lies._

 _And that scared him to the deepest, darkest part of his core._

* * *

The team stayed outside the med bay, watching. Allura still hadn't moved, her hands and Altean marks still glowing, though her eyebrows quivered and tears began to form at her eyes.

"Something is wrong," Lance said urgently.

"Should we pull the plug?" asked Pidge.

"No. If Allura were in danger, she'd know to get out." Keith was quiet, his arms crossed, but even he looked slightly worried. "We just have to be patient."

* * *

 _The world of quintessence was light and bright. It consumed him, seeping into his very being, calming a hunger that had raged within him ever since he was a child._

 _He felt strong. He felt powerful. He felt like he could live forever, do anything. The universe was under his feet, just as it always should have been, and he was going to finish the job no matter what the expense._

 _(Tucked away in a dark corner of his mind, where he'd tried to ignore it for ten thousand years, was a little Galra child without his mother. And he was crying.)_

 _..._

 _When he woke up, he could hardly see. Everything was dim and dark compared to the surpassing brightness of the quintessence field. His body felt starved and light-headed, if it had been disconnected from its source of life._

 _His surroundings slowly became familiar. His ship...right. His name. But as his vision cleared, behind the purple light hovering over him, he could see a familiar figure..._

 _His eyes went wide and bloodshot. "No." It couldn't be. The long white hair, pointed ears, and marks of an Altean—but the eyes were yellow and the marks were dripping, distorted, dragged along her face until they passed her lips. Just like the marks of..._

 _He'd known forever that Zarkon's witch couldn't be his mother. He knew that he had Altean ancestry, and Altean the witch certainly was not. But now that he saw her like this..._

 _"It...it can't be," he whispered, horrified._

 _"It is," she answered—the voice, the dreadful voice. "Haggar and Honerva are the same."_

 _"No." He clutched his head, finding his voice. "It cannot be true. It_ has _to be a lie!"_

 _The witch's eyes widened, and then she snarled. "You refuse me? I brought you back. I risked everything for you."_

 _"You're a witch. A pawn." His fists clutched and she scowled. "A dog to bark at my father's feet. You were never a mother. Why should I accept you now?"_

 _The lines along the long bridge of her nose became deeper. "Inferior. Unwilling. Just as I thought. Very well. You have chosen your fate."_

 _She lifted her hand, the terrible clawed nails again, and in her clutch appeared a floating Thing, black as the night and just as deep._

 _"No. What are you doing?" He strained to get up, but it was as if his limbs had been locked down by invisible bonds. "Stop!"_

 _"If you will not be my son," she said in her terrible voice, "you will be my slave." And with a flick of her wrist, she sent the Thing into his body and mind._

 _It tore. It seared. It sank its roots into the very core of his being and he screamed, screamed, but the agony would not relent._

 _"Stop struggling," she demanded, her teeth set._

 _Finally, it was over, and he slumped in his seat. But now, something deep and dark pulsed like a constant reminder in his heart._

 _"We have work to do," the witch said. "For now—here is punishment for your insubordination."_

 _She didn't even lift a finger. Instead, he felt her mind—her anger—and then lightning zapping through his head and spine._

 _He only managed half a scream before it all went dark._

 _..._

 _"Please," he begged, his voice hoarse. "You don't have to do this."_

 _He was on his hands and knees, pleading at the feet of the witch. Never did he think he'd be here, but he lifted his head, hoping for some semblance of pity or sympathy in her horrible features._

 _"I can be useful to you!" he cried. "I've been to Oriande, and what I've learned would be invaluable to your cause."_

 _"Oriande rejected you," she hissed, then raised her eyebrows. "As well it should have." He listened, distraught, as she went on, "You are unworthy, corrupted by your father's dark desires and his same hunger for power._

 _"If you wish to mend your ways and please me—" Her eyes were soulless and cold. "—then lend your life force to my cause, and you will be redeemed. I will leave this imperfect universe, tainted with Zarkon's darkness—just like you—"_

 _He winced._

 _"And I will find another that is perfect."_

* * *

That was all Allura saw before Honerva discovered her.

The dark entity shrieked and attacked. Allura staggered back, clutching her head and crying out in pain. Lotor—who'd been deathly still until now—began to scream and jolt on the bed as if electrocuted, his eyes wide.

"Allura!" came shouts from the other side of the glass.

"Allura, what's going on?"

"What's happening?!"

Allura found her bearings and set her teeth. Her hands glowed brightly, and she reached out to the entity.

 _"Leave him. Leave him, or I will drive you out!"_

The Thing emerged from his forehead, dripping like dark syrup, then screeched, sprouted purple electricity, and began to dart around the room. Allura whipped out her bayard, transforming it into a blaster, but she didn't fire yet. Eyes shut, she kept her powers trained on the thing, tracking its movements.

Then she turned to the blank wall and fired. Just that instant, the entity flew into the path of her blast, and it exploded with a screech, dropping burnt globs like syrup onto the floor.

Allura stood, breathing heavily, her blaster still raised and senses on overdrive.

"Allura?" came a soft voice from behind her.

She gasped and turned around. The shrunken form in the bed lay there, blinking at her, looking weak but calm.

Lotor was awake.

* * *

"And that's...all I saw." Allura had her hands folded in her lap, and she stared into the conference table into somewhere far way.

"So I was right." Keith didn't sound entirely pleased to learn that. "Honerva used him too."

Pidge was somber. "All along, we thought that Lotor was just a genocidal maniac." She picked up her tone to add, "He is, of course, but now we know why."

"Quintessence has poisoned his mind and desires, just like it did to Zarkon," Allura said quietly. "And now it's slowly killing him."

"Well, wha, w-what are we gonna do?" stammered Hunk. "He's dying, I mean, we can't just—let him. Can we?" He sounded small and unsure. "Is that the good guy thing to do?"

Lance frowned. "I still don't trust him as far as I can throw him, but...no. I don't think it is, buddy."

"It's Voltron's job to save lives," Keith said seriously. "We have to try."

"Yeah, but...how?" asked Pidge. "We've got him hooked up to all the life supports the Atlas can provide, and it's _still_ just buying us time."

"Allura," Lance said, turning to her, "you told me that the Altean alchemy you learned on Oriande has the power to create. What if it can create a cure for quintessence poisoning?"

Allura's eyes widened. "I...can try," she answered slowly, and put her chin in her hand. "It would be entirely new territory. If such a thing existed before, I'm sure someone would have tried it on Zarkon and Honerva. But I'll give it a go."

"If anyone can figure it out, it's you," Lance said with a smile.

She returned the smile gently. "Thank you."

"Good luck, Allura," said Keith. "You'll need it."

* * *

Allura stepped inside the med bay door, hands folded in front of her. The monitors beeped softly around Lotor's bed, the only sound in the silence.

Lotor's eyes flicked briefly to her, but he didn't turn his head. "Ah." His voice sounded thin as he stared at the ceiling. "Come to see me off, I suppose?"

"No," she answered, reining more biting retorts back. "I'm here to save your life."

His sunken eyes widened with surprise, then horror, and then almost anger. "Save your strength," he whispered, his voice quavering. "I'm not worth it."

Allura bit back her answer and stared at her feet.

Lotor's thin fists tightened at his sides. "I hurt so many people— _so_ many—you most of all. I should have passed long ago in the quintessence field. Just leave me with my dignity and let me _die_." He squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away.

Allura was heartbroken. "Is this really how you want to be remembered?" she asked softly. "As someone no better than your father?"

"I already will be," he spat. "The universe knows me as nothing but a traitor and a liar." Despair seeped through his voice. "What could I possibly do to change that?"

Allura frowned deeply, thinking back to the memories she'd seen in Lotor's consciousness. "Once upon a time, you valued life," she whispered. "You cherished and wanted to protect it. You believed that the universe could be better if we all just worked together."

As she spoke, he didn't turn, but his fists loosened and lay limp on the bed beside him.

Allura lifted her head. "Do you still believe that?"

Lotor's voice was thin as he stared past the ceiling, pain like that of an old scar still in his eyes. "If I did, it was long since beaten out of me."

"By someone who is no longer here." Allura took a step closer, keeping her head high and her voice low. "Zarkon is dead. Honerva's entity is no more."

At the sound of those names, Lotor's fists tightened again, his nails gripping the bed sheets.

"The chains are broken, Lotor." Allura pleaded softly. "If only you'd step out the prison door."

He looked conflicted. "It's...all I know."

"I know change is hard," she answered with a sigh. She knew it herself all too well. "But you wouldn't be alone."

Lotor stared through the ceiling, deep lines delving into his forehead, and conflict raging on his face.

Allura took a deep breath. This was the most difficult offer she would ever have to make. "If it's not your will to live, I won't force you. I will go." She lifted her head. "But if you want to make things right—please. You have a second chance."

Lotor thought very hard for a moment, absolutely silent. There was something different in his expression—like hope, but not yet hope—underneath a layer of fear. "What are you going to do?" he asked, turning to Allura.

"Your mind is poisoned by quintessence." Allura took one step closer to the bed, and now was standing at his side. "Your body is caving in on itself, trying to compensate. I can try to remove the excess quintessence and its effects, but..." This was the difficult news to deliver. "It's the only thing holding you together. It could kill you."

Lotor raised his white eyebrows, a terrible calm on his face. "So much the better."

Allura frowned. She supposed that would have to do for his consent. She shut her eyes, concentrating, and tried to reach out into the energy in front of her.

"Allura."

She raised her head and opened her eyes.

"Thank you." His voice was choked as if it were caught in his throat, and were those...tears? Real tears? "No one...has ever..." He bit down hard on his lip and seemed unable to continue without breaking down.

Allura smiled and set her hand on his shoulder. "Save your strength."

After one long, steady look at her—it almost looked like trust—he shut his eyes.

Allura placed both hands a small distance apart on his chest, and her palms began to glow blue. A blue glow peeked under her closed eyelids, too, from the marks on her cheeks, as she searched deep into the energy at her fingertips and tried everything she knew and had learned from her ancestors.

Slowly, the glow turned to yellow and began to creep up her arms; instead of a cool, steady power it became hot, pulsing like a heartbeat, and unstable. Explosive power like that of a bomb began to thrum under her skin, just barely contained.

When Allura opened her eyes again, she found herself covered head to toe in the angry yellow glow. It was ready to explode—and she'd be the epicenter.

She had to get it out of here.

Allura burst out the med bay door at a dead run. It was automatic—lucky thing. She raced down the crowded halls, yelling a warning, dodging, and twisting so she wouldn't so much as touch a hair on anyone. "Out of the way! Let me through, quickly!"

When she burst through the door to the Bridge, the first thing she saw was Shiro at his post.

"Allura—" he began, one arm extended.

"Don't touch me!" she cried. "I need the crystal."

Shiro stepped back. Allura seized the balmeran crystal in one hand, then arced her back and yelled as all the quintessence rushed out of her body and through her arm.

The lights went dark in the Atlas—then blazed back on even brighter.

"What just happened?!" barked a ruffled Iverson.

Allura felt faint. Her knees gave way under her, and Shiro caught her just before she collapsed to the floor.

The door whooshed open again, and all the other paladins stormed in. Lance immediately broke from the group and ran to Allura's side.

"What happened?" Shiro asked them urgently as Lance took Allura in his arms.

"Allura was trying to find a cure for Lotor's quintessence poisoning," blurted Pidge.

"She just...started glowing and then ran away," added Hunk.

There was a single moment of silence as the group all looked at each other's faces, stunned. Then Shiro got to his feet. "Lance, stay here with Allura until medical can bring a stretcher up," he ordered, then turned to the rest. "We gotta check this out."

They ran all the way there, down crowded halls and past startled faces. The med bay door slid open—and there was Lotor, sitting up in bed with his right age and appearance.

"Did...did she do it?" Lotor asked slowly.

Shiro was stunned. Beside him, Keith managed a small laugh.

"Yeah," he answered slowly. "I guess she did."

* * *

Allura was back on her feet before the day cycle was over. She and Coran called the Altean colonists together—the pilots and Romelle—when they heard that Lotor had also fully recovered.

"It's not going to be an easy conversation, Princess," said Coran, worry in his voice.

"I know," answered Allura, wringing her hands. "Let's both of us hope it goes well."

Lotor was wearing simple clothes and white handcuffs on his wrists. Everyone knew the cuffs were just a formality, but he raised no protest nonetheless.

The door slid open with a hiss, and as they stepped into the little blue room, all of the pilots looked up as one. They gasped.

"Lotor," murmured the blue-haired girl.

The pilots all got off their benches and knelt low in front of him. Romelle stood in a corner, a dreadful, dirty look marring her sweet features as she stared at the visitor.

Lotor almost winced. "Please, stand," he begged the pilots. "I don't deserve such respect."

The blue-haired girl lifted her head. "Why not, my lord?"

"I don't deserve to be 'your lord' either," he replied, his face contorted with guilt, and he shut his eyes. "I manipulated and used you all under the guise of salvation. In one colony I created a utopia—in the other, a slaughterhouse. I don't deserve your loyalty or your admiration." He lifted his head. "I only ask for your forgiveness."

The pilots all took this with somber calm, some looking at each other for help, and others staring mournfully at the floor. It was Romelle who broke the silence.

"Well you _don't_ have it!" she cried, pigtails flying in her anger. She advanced on Lotor, shaking one finger in his face. "You killed my brother and thousands more! You lied to all of us!"

"Romelle, please—!" began Allura.

"No," Lotor interrupted. "Let her speak."

"You think you can just waltz in here and apologize, and that suddenly makes everything all right," snarled Romelle. "But it doesn't. There is no forgiveness for you—wretched, dirty traitor! Words don't bring back _the dead!_ " And with that, her fist flew across his face with a sickening crack.

The whole room fell silent. The slightest breath sounded loud. Romelle drew her fists back, one of them bruising across the knuckles, but instead of taking another swing she stopped and her eyes welled with tears.

Lotor looked stunned. He raised his cuffed hands to his face and touched his lip—the finger came away stained with blood.

"You're right," he sighed. "In truth, I deserved much worse than this. That I am sorry for what I've done fixes nothing that you've been through, Romelle. I just want you to know that it's true."

The tears bubbled up even more and ran down Romelle's cheeks, and she ran away sobbing with her eyes pressed into her sleeve. Nobody went after her.

Allura sighed and turned towards the door. "I'll go talk to her."

Coran put his hand on her shoulder. "Give her some time." He leveled a neutral look at Lotor. "It's a difficult thing."

Lotor was either staring at his bonds, or at his feet.

* * *

It was a little old-fashioned of Allura to knock on an automatic sliding door, but the thing wasn't opening or granting her entry. "Romelle?" she called quietly into the slat by the frame. "May I come in?"

A moment passed in silence before the door opened. Allura stepped through, and it shut with a woosh.

Romelle was on her berth, lying on her stomach and clutching a pillow. One of her hands was wrapped in bandages. "I know what you're going to say." She didn't look at Allura, and her tone was set and stubborn. "I still won't do it."

"I know." Allura's eyes were downcast. "I just want you to know that in a roundabout way, I understand how you feel. Before—well, _before—_ I thought that we had something special. In the search for Oriande, Lotor and I became very close, and..." She stared at her hands.

Romelle finally lifted her head, surprised, then set her ear in her pillow. "You were...together?" she asked.

Allura sighed. "I thought so."

Romelle thought this over for a moment. Then she glowered and dropped her chin into the pillow. "He is the _worst_."

Allura had to chuckle in spite of herself. "Perhaps."

"I still won't forgive him." Romelle lifted her head, a terrible glower on her sweet face. "You're all making a mistake if you trust him."

Allura was quiet. "Perhaps we are." She looked up, a glint of dogged determination in her eyes. "But it's the only choice we have."

* * *

When Keith stepped into the viewing bay outside of Lotor's cell, the first thing he noticed was how sparsely it was decorated. It felt like being in a hospital room.

The second thing he noticed was a half-empty plate sitting on the edge of Lotor's berth. Keith was pretty sure that the daily ration of prison food didn't include delicately garnished dishes of some kind of mollusk. Hunk must have been there.

It took Lotor a moment to notice him, but when he did, he immediately pushed off his knees and stood up. "I suppose you're here to take me somewhere?" he asked, voice slightly muffled by the gauze pad on his jaw.

"Uh...no," Keith managed. He set the pad and pen he'd brought down on a nearby table and stepped towards the glass. "I just came here to talk."

Lotor's eyes widened. "Oh."

Keith suddenly felt twice as uncomfortable as he already did. "If that's not okay, I can just go."

"No, no. It's fine." Lotor sat down on his berth again, elbows on his knees. "I suppose I'm just— _surprised_ —that anyone would seek out _my_ company," he added bitterly.

Keith leaned against an adjacent wall and emptied his lungs in one long exhale. He wasn't any good at this, but he had to try. "You know," he began, "all those things you did—they weren't you. The quintessence was messing with your mind."

Lotor laughed bitterly. "That's what you'd _like_ me to think. Ties this all up with one nice little bow if I'm not responsible, doesn't it?"

Keith said nothing, stunned.

"But I know the truth," Lotor said quietly. "All along, there was a part of me that wanted to do it all. To dominate. To rule. To have the world under my feet. It's the Galra in me," he whispered, and he sounded almost horrified at it. "The witch said it herself—I'm no better than my father. Doomed to follow in his footsteps. To burn everything I touch."

Lotor drew in a shivering breath, face contorted in a snarl. "Why did you let me _live?_ " he rasped. "To _mock me?_ To lord it over me as the universe tortures me as I deserve? Thousands of Alteans have been killed for my sake! _Thousands!_ " He slammed both fists on the glass and shouted at the top of his lungs, "They _hate_ me, and rightfully so! There is _nothing_ that can atone for what I've done. _Nothing!_ "

He slid down onto his knees, head hanging between his fists on the glass, and began to shake with stifled gasps.

Keith was beyond in over his head. But he just took a deep breath, told himself to think like Shiro, and stared into the eye scanner for the prison door.

It verified his iris pattern and then slid open, just long enough for him to step through. Lotor shoved him away when he got too close.

"Don't say anything," Lotor hissed, angry tears burned down his face. "Spare me your pity."

Keith stepped back and thought for a second. "Okay," he said. "I won't say anything." Then he sat down on the berth, took a deep breath, and started to write something on the pad of paper.

His grasp of the language of Daibazaal wasn't very good, but in the two years he'd spent with Krolia in the Phantom Zone, she had not much better to do then teach him. He'd already had some practice reading the stuff when they interacted with Galra tech, but it was forming words and sentences that was the hard part.

But he'd come prepared, even with some precious sticky tack from Earth. And when his work was finished, he stood up, stared into the scanner again, and left.

It was some time until Lotor finally turned around, still sitting on the floor and his eyes red and swollen. But when he looked up—he sucked in a gasp.

All across a single wall of his cell, hung above his berth, were papers—papers saying things in the language he'd spoken as a child.

 _"I'm part-Galra too." "The past shouldn't decide who you have to be." "You don't have to be alone." "You're not broken." "You're not worthless." "You have a second chance."_

And a tiny slip of paper, folded on itself, that he picked off his berth with a shaking hand and read through blurred eyes:

 _"I'm a half-breed too. There's a lot of power in being a half-breed. It's not a warring thing. It's two wonderful things coming together to make you. I know you didn't get the best start. Maybe the worst start anyone could get. And like it or not, that's going to be a part of you forever. But that doesn't mean you can't choose your own path, and it doesn't mean the end can't be great._

 _"I might never understand having so many things you regret doing, but I understand feeling like you're alone and you never had a chance to begin with. Let me tell you: it's just not true. If the lies yell too loud, yell back louder._

 _"You can be more than that._

 _"I know you can."_

* * *

A conference was held later that day to which all the high-ranking crew of the IGF Atlas was ordered to convene. The former Galra prince came in late, not in handcuffs, but simply dressed and chaperoned by Kolivan, who was toting an energy shotgun.

Most of the chairs around the conference table were taken or already claimed. Lotor found an open one beside Keith and sat there, pointedly not looking at him. Lance raised an eyebrow at Lotor with suspicion, but Keith just smiled.

Hunk, who was also sitting nearby, whistled innocently and twiddled his thumbs while examining the ceiling.

"Is there a problem?" Lotor asked him flatly.

"What? No, no, not a problem," answered Hunk. "I just, uh—wanted to know what you thought of the bologtian shells. I didn't know exactly what it was supposed to taste like, and we kinda had to improvise some things, so..."

Lotor looked surprised, and he thought for a moment, his chin in his hand. "It...was very close to the real thing," he answered slowly. "Delicious, really." Then, as if as an afterthought, he added, "Thank you."

"Oh, hey, no problem, man." When Lotor's back was turned, Hunk gave a fist-pump and hissed to himself, " _Yesss!_ "

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," said Shiro. He stood, leaning on the head of the table in front of the big screen. "We're here because we might finally have a lead on some information regarding Honerva's plan. Lotor? I'll give the floor to you."

Lotor stood up, Kolivan at his back, and made his way to the front. "You'll have to tell me what you already know," he said before he reached Shiro's side. "I'm afraid I'm a bit out of the loop around here."

"We already know that Honerva is using the trans-reality comet ore to create blades that can cut through realities," answered Allura. "What we don't know is what she needs them for."

"That, I can tell you," Lotor said grimly. "Honerva plans to leave this reality for good. She will search the universes until she can find the one in which my father and I fit her ideals of perfection—and there she will stay."

A gasp went around the table.

"Wait just a second," Iverson spoke up. He glared at Lotor through his one remaining eye. "I've seen some pretty strange stuff out here, but this goes beyond all of it. Word is that you betrayed our side once before. How do we know we can trust you now?"

That gave Shiro some pause, and he leveled a scrutinizing look at Lotor.

Lotor frowned. "You think I'd joke about such a thing? I too stand to lose my existence to the actions of a murderous witch. As tantalizing an offer as it might have sounded yesterday, I don't like the idea of being wiped out of existence any more the next man."

"So she's looking for a reality...where she can be with her family?" Pidge asked softly.

"But that is impossible!" cried Slav. "Such a reality would be so far removed from our own that she would have to cut through tens of thousands of realities to get there. It would destroy them all!"

"Oh, no, man, that is so not good," Hunk winced.

"She _has_ to be stopped," Allura growled through set teeth.

"Agreed," replied Shiro. He turned to Lotor. "Is there anything you can tell us about her whereabouts?"

"Her movements are unpredictable," answered Lotor, "but...there _is_ one thing."

* * *

Keith left the conference room with the rest of the paladins. Pidge, Lance, and Hunk were whispering frantically to each other, and Allura seemed deep in thought, occasionally offering her own thoughts.

"Keith."

Surprised by the new voice, Keith turned around to see Lotor, and Kolivan behind him. Lotor had his hand extended.

"You left this in my...room," explained Lotor. In his palm was Keith's pen.

"Oh." Keith took it back and twisted it so that the tip slid back into the canister. "Thanks."

Lotor almost smiled. Then Kolivan nudged the muzzle of the shotgun into Lotor's lower back, and the two continued on their way towards the prison sector.

The other paladins had paused in the hall to watch the exchange. "What was that about?" asked Lance.

Keith just glanced at them and smiled. "He's coming around."

* * *

 **A/N:** The first four sentences of Keith's little speech are from an answer that Steven Yuen gave in a Q&A a long time ago. I just expanded it.

 **Next up - Episode Eleven: Green Light**


	4. Ep 11: Green Light

**Replying to Guest:** Thank you. From the bottom of my heart.

* * *

 **Episode Eleven: Green Light**

"Lotor gave us the frequency for a special energy signature put out only by Honerva's main base," explained Pidge. She was typing frantically on an orange screen in the Bridge of the IGF Atlas while the others looked on. "It's a lot like the Castle of Lions, actually—a spaceship that disguised itself as a castle. This," she added, as a visual popped up on the screen. "The Pyramid of Oriande."

Allura drew in a quiet breath, but before she could speak, Pidge just plowed on.

"This signal is ten thousand times more accurate than our wormhole signatures, and if we can locate it, it'll give us pin-point accuracy of where Honerva is to a fraction of a coordinate."

" _If_ you can locate it?" asked Shiro.

"Well...yeah." Pidge spun in her chair to face the group. "That's the only problem. This signature is so faint, and our range of search so large, that we're gonna need a receptor way more powerful than the one we already have on the Atlas."

Hunk was scratching his chin in thought. "Yeah, either that or a range amplifier on the sub-scanner. But that would take some drastic re-engineering."

"And a quintillion watts of extra power," Pidge replied.

"Power won't be a problem," remarked Sam Holt. He was leaning over Pidge's shoulder and stood up to address the group. "With the extra quintessence that Allura put into the Atlas' crystal, we should have more than enough for another external system. It's only a matter of designing and building an antenna that powerful."

Slav popped his head in, holding up one of his many hands. "And we also have to cross our fingers and count to three for it to work!"

Sam raised a skeptical eyebrow at him.

That's when a small electronic chime went off in the Bridge. "Captain, we're being hailed by a fleet of small ships," a blonde lackey called out to Shiro.

"Galra?" asked Shrio.

"No, sir."

Shiro stepped up to his platform and hit a button on the console. "Patch them through."

In the corner of the big screen where the stars were visible, an image of a few circular green ships appeared. But larger than that, and overtaking half the screen—

"This is the Olkari refugees, hailing Voltron," said a familiar face. "Do you copy?"

" _Ryner!_ " cried Pidge, leaping to her feet and rushing to the platform. "You're alive!" She leaned over the console, tears of joy in her eyes.

Ryner chuckled warmly. "Hello, Pidge. We've been through an ordeal, but yes. We made it. I see you have a new ship!"

"Good to see you again, Ryner," said Shiro with a smile. "What can we do for you?"

"Permission to board, please," she answered. "We're on our way to a neighboring star system, but my people could use a rest."

"Of course! Welcome, and gladly."

"Thank you kindly," Ryner smiled.

When the transmission ended, Shiro turned to the lackeys. "Open up the landing bay. Send word to the crew to make room for the Olkari."

"Yes, sir!"

Shiro grinned at Sam. "Guess you're getting your amplifier after all."

Sam, Pidge, and Hunk threw fists in the air and hollered in celebration.

* * *

When Pidge and Sam Holt got to the landing bay, the Olkari were already streaming off of their ships. Some stayed behind on the ramps, with a few of the Atlas' crew members, to help the old, the very young, and the injured out of the pods.

"Ryner!" Pidge charged right at the Olkari leader at the front of the group and gave her a flying hug.

Ryner hooted in surprise, laughed, and gladly returned the embrace. "It's good to see you again, Pidge."

"I'm so glad you're okay." Pidge's fists were balled up in Ryner's robe, and she had to tell herself firmly not to cry. "I saw what happened to your planet, and...I was so worried about you."

"You never have to worry about us," Ryner replied warmly. She stepped back and took Pidge's chin in one hand. "Olkari always adapt. It's one of our greatest strengths." A smile twitched on her lips. "But I'm touched that you were concerned. It's good to have friends in times like these."

A little Olkari girl toddled up and gripped Ryner's robe in her fist, staring up at Pidge through wide eyes.

"Oh! Hi!" Pidge knelt down to talk to her. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks," she answered shyly. "Do...do I know you?"

"No." Pidge thought for a moment. "But I know you. Well, kinda. Your planet showed you to me." She quirked an eyebrow, unsure. "Is that weird?"

"Not weird, but very unusual," answered Ryner. She sounded impressed. As Pidge stood up, Ryner continued, "Only the best Olkari scientists, most connected with the land, have ever been able to access the planet's memory banks. Though I guess I shouldn't expect any less from the Green Paladin," she added with a smile.

Pidge beamed so wide she thought her face would break.

Sam Holt stepped forward and extended his hand. "Welcome to the Atlas, Ryner."

"Sam." She shook his hand warmly. "Good to see you. You're looking much better since I last saw you on my planet."

"Couldn't be better." Sam's eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. "I've had a lot of time to rest and recover, and your people helped immensely with that." Then he put a game face on. "Sorry to put you to work so soon, but you came just in time. There's a sub-sensitive energy scanner that needs building if we're going to track down Honerva."

"We'd be happy to help," said Ryner with a gleam in her eye.

* * *

"Everyone seems pretty excited about this amplifier thing!" said Lance. He walked at Allura's side down an almost empty hall in the Atlas, his hands in the pockets of his uniform trousers. "I hope it works."

"Knowing the Olkari, it definitely will," Allura said with a chuckle. She couldn't help but find his enthusiasm adorable.

"Yeah, that's..." Lance frowned and stopped in his tracks. "That's not what I'm worried about."

Allura frowned. She stepped to his side, concerned, and asked, "Then what is it?"

"Well, it's—it's Lotor's signal." Lance shrugged. "He said it'll help us track down Honerva, but he's lied before. I just don't if we can trust him."

Internally, Allura winced. "Actually," she said softly and stared at the floor, "I've been meaning to talk to you about that."

Lance blinked and faced her. "What is it?"

Allura took a deep breath. This would be a difficult story to tell. "When we still had the Castle of Lions," she began, "—actually, right before you discovered Lotor's treachery—he and I were working on the sincline ships in the hangar. And, well..."

She winced, and then tried a different approach and a lighter tone. "We'd experienced some amazing things on Oriande, and I felt we'd gotten quite close. And I..." She sighed. "I kissed him."

Lance's blue eyes were wide. "You...what?"

"Again, this was _right_ before Keith returned with Romelle," Allura blurted in a panic. "I had no idea what he'd done."

She could see the gears turning in Lance's head. "So when you defended him—you thought—"

"That we had something special," she finished for him with a sigh. "Yes."

"You thought...and he..." Lance was beyond, _beyond_ angry, his fists and shoulders quivering at his sides. "Tch—who does he think he is?!" he cried, tripping over his words in his anger. "Messing with you—playing you like that! I gotta—I got half a mind to go in there and—and show him who he's dealing with!" He gripped his fists and stormed towards the prison sector.

"Lance, please!" Allura grabbed his arm. "Now is not the time."

"Well, when _is_ the time?" he demanded, and punched his fist into his hand. "Because that guy deserves to be decked!"

"I did not tell you this so that you could take revenge," she said firmly. An image of her own hand crashing the glass of the pilot's canister came to her mind. "Believe me, I've already considered it multiple times myself. That doesn't make it right."

Lance took a deep breath and let it out with a whoosh. "Fine," he said, still grumpy. "So why did you tell me?"

"Because..." As Lance's posture relaxed, and he looked like he wouldn't run, Allura pulled her hand back and clasped it to her chest. "I'm afraid my own feelings are still divided, and it's something you need to know." This wasn't something she was proud to say, but she had to do it at some point. "Even when the entity was calling out to me, it made me hallucinate three figures: my mother, you...and Lotor."

Lance's reaction was like nothing Allura expected—not that she could have expected anything good. He simply cast his eyes to the ground, upset, and grumbled, "Figures."

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I dunno," he answered slowly, thin eyebrows scrunched. "It's just that...well...sometimes I wonder if I'm really worth...you." His voice petered off. "I know how I feel, obviously, but that doesn't mean anything. Sometimes...I think you could do better."

Allura frowned. "Lotor is _not_ better."

"Well, sure, but—"

Allura took his hand and clasped it to her chest. "Lance," she began softly. This was the easy thing to say. "You've never been duplicitous. Even from the beginning, you've always—how do you say it—worn your heart on your sleeve. You say exactly how you feel, and that's how I know I can trust you."

She looked him in the eyes. Lance still didn't answer, but he looked calmer—more at peace.

"No matter how I feel, I've chosen you," she said in finality. "You never have to be afraid of that."

And with that, she lifted his hand and pressed her lips against his knuckles.

Lance smiled. "Thanks, Allura," he whispered.

"No—thank you, for understanding." She held their clasped hands in front of her. "I do wish we'd talked about this sooner. If we're going to make this work, we have to be willing to discuss these things."

"I guess you're right," he said with a chuckle. "From now on, no secrets."

"No secrets." She smiled.

And when he leaned in towards her, she tipped her chin up to meet him.

* * *

"Sonic ratchet?" Matt asked through the radio in his helmet, holding out his hand.

"Here." N-7 placed the tool in his hand and went on working.

"Thanks." Matt made the last few adjustments in the panel of wires and smiled. "And that's done." He shut the paneling and turned to the others. "These Olkari designs are amazing! So intuitive."

"All that's left is to hook it up to the main power conduit," said Pidge with a grin. She floated nearby, the Atlas under her and flanked by the stars. "Then, we're done!"

Matt sighed happily and pushed off the ship, floating a few yards from the Atlas and turning slowly until he was upside down. "This is great. Building stuff out in space—I'm here with my favorite girls—" He threw his arms out towards them.

"Ooh, I'm telling Mom," teased Pidge, her hand on her hip.

N-7's smooth robotic face couldn't form expressions, but she lifted a hand to her chin and seemed to be smiling.

"Mom is a _lady_ , Pidge," Matt corrected her.

"I'm a lady!" squawked Pidge.

N-7's shoulders began to shake.

Matt pulled himself back down, threw his arm around his pouting sister, and laughed. "Getting there, Pidgey-bird. Getting there."

* * *

The smooth metal door hissed open and shut behind Lance. The room was silent as he stepped into it, but the tension was so thick he could cut it with a knife.

Lotor looked up through the colored glass, then cast his eyes back to the floor. "Ah. I was wondering when you'd be here."

Lance said nothing. He just stood there, thinking.

Eventually, Lotor lifted his head. "It's not like you to be the quiet one," he remarked.

Lance's tone was measured and low. "I'm just trying to pick my words."

"Is this about her?" he asked after a pause.

Lance tried to hide his surprise. "Yeah. How did you know?"

"Call it a hunch." Lotor leaned forward where he sat on the edge of his berth, elbows on his knees. "I notice she's chosen you now. I should congratulate you."

Lance's fists tightened at his sides. "Look," he said softly. "If it wasn't for the colony, I wouldn't have even cared, if it had been you. All I care about is Allura being happy, and it looks like she almost was." As his volume rose, his arms swung out, gesturing wildly. "But you just had to go and kill all those people, and lie, and pretend like you cared about her—!"

Lotor leaped to his feet and roared, "I pretended nothing! It—" As if suddenly realizing what he said, his eyes went wide, and he deflated and dropped back to his berth. "It wasn't all a lie."

Lance stood frozen, his voice caught in his throat.

"Allura was my first taste of a real connection in ten thousand years." Lotor's voice was deathly quiet, his white eyebrows quivering. "All others had been torn away from me when I was young—as punishment, to teach me to crush all others underneath my feet."

Lance lowered his head and stared at the floor.

"I don't deserve a second chance with her. I never did." Quieter, Lotor pulled his knees closer together as if to make himself small. "Don't worry. I won't interfere."

Lance felt a pain in his chest, even as he thought back to his own family on Earth. "Look. Whatever happened to you...I'm sorry."

Lotor didn't move. When nothing more was said, he finally lifted his head. "But?"

"No buts." His voice was firm. "Growing up like that sounds terrible. I wouldn't want that for anybody."

Lotor looked stricken. He lowered his head, eyes wide and forming tears on the corners.

Lance sighed and leaned on the glass, crossing his arms. "You...you broke our trust pretty bad," he said softly. "It's gonna be hard to get that back."

"I know." Lotor didn't lift his head, but he wiped the tears from his eyes, determined. "It's just something I'll have to earn with my actions."

Lance looked up at the ceiling and thought about it. "Well, in that case, I guess the signal is your first step."

Maybe Lance was going crazy, or maybe Lotor gave a single, wobbly smile.

"You know," Lance said, pushing off the wall to face Lotor, "I said this to Allura a while back, but...you're not the only one who's made a million mistakes. The only thing you can do is get back up and try to make it right."

Lotor took a moment to process that, and then he lifted his head, a light in his eyes and the slightest smile on his face. "That's what I aim to do."

* * *

A few vargas later, Pidge, Sam, and Slav were in the computer room, staring at orange screens. Tension and excitement hung in the air as they anticipated the scanner's first test launch.

"All right," said Sam, scanning the readouts on his screen. "It's receiving the ship's internal power at full strength. We should be good to go."

"But are you crossing your fingers?" asked Slav, bending over backwards to look at him. Sam just returned a tired glare.

Pidge hit a few buttons on her screen and said, "Okay, everything's in place. Fire it up, Dad!"

Sam flipped a switch. The machine hummed and then whirred to life.

On the Bridge, Shiro had the big screen primed to receive the amplifier's output. A star map of the universe appeared, crisscrossed with grid lines, and then a small purple blip appeared on the screen. The shot zoomed in to the star system.

Allura stared up at the screen and gasped.

"Got it!" cried Pidge over the PA. "Sector 47-A-beta! Sending the coordinates to you now."

"But the star system. Those moons. That's..." Coran faltered.

Allura finished his sentence, her eyes wide. "Altea."

Shiro stood stunned, but he got his game face on and bent over the console. "Atlas, ready the teleduv. Prepare for wormhole jump.

"We're going to Altea."

* * *

 **A/N:** Someone please tell me if the paladins ever found out that Allura kissed Lotor because for the life of me I can't remember if they did or not. That's the only reason this took so long to post.

 **Next up - Episode Twelve: The Last Battle**


	5. Ep 12: The Last Battle

**Episode Twelve: The Last Battle**

When the IGF Atlas emerged from the wormhole into an asteroid belt, the first thing they saw was the pyramid structure—one central pyramid and the four obelisks floating at its corners, with four disks of energy over the points—and beyond that, a large purple and black mech, spiked with a cloak of magenta blades and a sinister halo.

"What is that?!" cried Pidge.

"It's her," growled Allura.

"Oh, man. Does everybody have a giant robot now?" asked Hunk.

The three Robeasts standing guard at the front of the Pyramid broke formation and headed for the Atlas.

"Voltron, get out there!" ordered Shiro. "Scramble the MFE fighters. We're taking the fight to them!"

* * *

"Allura, what can you tell us about that structure?" Shiro asked over the Blue Lion's comms.

"It's built like a generator," she answered. As she took off flying towards it, the four small disks shrank, and a larger purple disk began to form over the central pyramid. "The four pillars create power and send it to the center structure."

"Then we're taking that out first," ordered Shiro. "Coran, adjust heading to 4.7, 9.5. Iverson, train the ion cannon on the center pyramid. As soon as we take it out, all sights on the mech behind it."

"Roger," barked Iverson. "Ion cannon primed."

"Fire!"

A blue beam shot from the top of the Atlas' hull. A Robeast intercepted, spinning its connected blades like a fan and scattering the blast. As soon as the blast ended, the Robeast swooped down and out of its line of fire, barreling towards the ship itself.

"Shields!" yelled Shiro.

On impact, the Atlas shuddered, and everyone on board held on tight and grit their teeth. The Robeast shot past the Atlas, whirled around, and came back into view on the big screen.

"Sir, it's coming for another pass!" shouted Veronica.

Black intercepted the Robeast with its jaw blade, forming a large gash on its thigh. "We got your back, Atlas!" shouted Keith.

"Leave it to Voltron," answered Shiro. "Keep heading on the central pyramid. Paladins and MFEs, clear us a path!"

"Roger that," answered Griffin. With the press of a button, his ship deployed missiles that pummeled another Robeast. Slowly, the Lions and MFEs drew the Robeasts out of the Atlas' line of fire.

"Ion cannon primed!" barked Iverson.

"Fire!" shouted Shiro.

The blue ray hurtled toward the pyramid—

Honerva opened her eyes.

A huge purple sphere of a shield flickered into existence to engulf the entire structure and stop the ion ray. The Atlas crew gaped.

Then from the tip of the pyramid, a ray twice as strong fired back. The Atlas rattled violently, and alarms began to blare.

"Shields at 48%!" barked Iverson.

"What was that?!" cried Veronica.

"Whatever it was, we can't take another one of 'em," growled Iverson.

"Evasive maneuvers!" ordered Shiro.

The Atlas turned with some difficulty due to its large size, and another purple beam grazed through its side.

"We lost the starboard thrusters! Airlocks are breached! I'm shutting 'em down," reported Iverson.

"Get the civilians to a central location on the ship. Coran, give us full power to thrusters. We have to get into the asteroid belt and out of its line of fire," orders Shiro. "Voltron, we could use a little help!"

The Black Lion dodged and swerved through space, narrowly avoiding the Robeast's attacks. "Little busy, Shiro!" Keith shot back. "Paladins, on me! _Form Voltron!_ "

The Lions converged into the giant mech in a fraction of a second.

 _"Sword!"_ They skewered one Robeast through the heart right before it fired its laser. The enemy mech was destroyed.

"Now, Kinkade!" shouted Griffin, gripping the joysticks in his ship.

Kinkade slammed his thumb down on the trigger and fired pulse missiles right into the open chest of a Robeast. The mech exploded internally and then shut down.

 _"One more!"_

The last Robeast connected its blades into one long, double-edged scythe, and it began to spin. Voltron flew on a straight-shot path, sword aimed, and all its pilots shouting a battle cry. The Robeast split its weapons and powered its laser.

Gigantic wings sprouted from Voltron's back and with a blast of energy, they were behind the Robeast.

For a single moment of silence, nothing happened. Purple light began to show along a hair-thin fault line across the Robeast's chest. Then it exploded.

The purple mech behind the Pyramid stirred. Its cloak spread into wings, magenta and jagged.

"Oh, on no. I think we made her angry!" shouted Hunk.

With a blast of its thrusters, Honerva descended on Voltron. The Pyramid fired another blast on the Atlas, shaking it violently and causing more alarms.

* * *

Lotor sat in his cell, elbows on his knees. He could feel the ship trembling and creaking under his feet, but there was nothing he could do.

It was terrifying, really. Just a day ago he would have been happy to die. But now that he looked death again in the face—terror coiled in the pit of his chest like it hadn't in a very long time.

The door to the viewing bay slid back, and the little blonde Altean walked through the door. She was still wearing her bandages, as was he.

"Ah," Lotor managed, as the ship rumbled under him and the lights flickered. "You've returned."

She stepped up to the glass, her expression unreadable.

"Well, do your worst," he sighed. "It's nothing I don't deserve, anyway."

Then, there was a woosh. She stood in the open doorway, holding it, and looked at him like she was expecting something.

Lotor's eyes went wide. "What...?"

"I might not like it at all," she said, "but they need your help up there." Her face was set and serious. "It's time to go."

* * *

Voltron had been beaten to one end of the asteroid belt and back by Honerva's mech. It was larger, faster, and stronger than all of their strength combined. One whip of its tail or slash of its blades threatened to burst Voltron apart or siphon its energy.

"We don't have time for this!" cried Pidge as Voltron tried another dodge.

"We've gotta stop the portal from opening!" barked Keith, gripping the controls. "How can we take down those shields?"

"They're generated in the interior of the structure," answered a new voice over the comms.

Everyone in Voltron gasped. "Wha- _Lotor?!_ "

Leaning over the console beside Shiro, Lotor chuckled. "The one and only," he said, then put on a game face. "Now listen to me. You'll have to enter the Pyramid and take down the shields from the inside."

"What?!" cried Lance. "How are we gonna do that?!"

"Everyone fall back," said Keith. Voltron swerved and glided back towards the Atlas. "I've got an idea. MFEs, how long can you get us cover?"

"Leifsdottor?" asked Griffin.

"I give an estimate of 9.5 minutes until she memorizes our flight formations and gains a tactical advantage," she replied.

"Right," said Keith. "We've got no more than ten minutes. Let's make this quick."

* * *

 _They returned to the Atlas to hatch a plan. "Pidge," began Keith, "you're going in. Use Green's cloaking to stay hidden, and turn off all trackable signals. If you're spotted, it's over."_

Pidge dropped the Green Lion into a slow downward curve, just out of sight. Four of the Voltron lions and the four MFE pilots swarmed around Honerva's mech far overhead. Cloaking rippled across the Green Lion's features until it blended in with the blackness and stars.

 _Lotor spoke next. "The main entrance is too obvious and highly protected, but there is a back way in case of emergencies. That's where you'll enter."_

She adjusted heading for the minuscule point far at the bottom of the central pyramid. The sides of the floating ship seemed smooth and free of fault lines, but there was a single, dark door close to the very point.

 _"Take Lotor with you," added Keith. "Once you're in, he can direct you through the Pyramid to the main control room."_

Pidge tried her hardest to concentrate on landing the Lion softly and without setting off alarms. Lotor stood behind her, one hand gripping the top of the seat back for balance, and he peered out the windshield as well.

 _"It won't be an easy task." Lotor's voice was grim. "All of the lower levels are swarming with Altaen personnel and sentries."_

They made their way up a winding staircase to the lower levels of the pyramid, Pidge with her bayard ready. Lotor motioned for her to stop, and they crouched beside a corner.

Altean guards, armed with blasters, patrolled the halls. Scientists and engineers traveled to and fro with their noses in portable screens.

Lotor watched for a break, then leaned out and glanced down both ends of the hall. He motioned to Pidge with his hand, and they both got up and ran as softly as they could.

 _"That's where Kosmo comes in," said Keith. "He can teleport you short distances and keep you from being spotted."_

The wolf followed along at their heels. They were trapped at a y-junction in the hall, with guards approaching from either side. Pidge turned to Kosmo, and when the wolf lifted its head, she and Lotor put a hand into its fur.

There was a small blue flash—and then, they were crouching behind the sentries. Pidge pet Kosmo's head with a smile, and then they continued on their way.

 _"Once we're in the command center, there's a Zyrgian crystal that powers all operations of the Pyramid," said Lotor. "If we destroy it, we'll have the upper hand."_

Pidge made sure to pull the tile of the ceiling up and into their hiding place instead of dropping it to the floor. She looked around the room, counted the techs, and then raised four fingers at Lotor. He nodded.

Pidge took a deep breath and set her bayard to 'stun'. Then she swung down through the opening, dropping to her knees. When the surprised techs turned around—"Intruder!" one cried and dove for the alarm—she shot her bayard out, the green line rippling, and the two techs took an electric shock before dropping to the floor.

Lotor swung down after her and delivered one approaching tech a swift knock in the head. He simply held his hand over the nose and mouth of the last one before she became faint, and he laid her on the floor.

At the center of the room was a large, purple crystal, wires attached to its jagged points and edges. Lotor deployed his sword and swung with a snarl. The lights went out.

 _"The second you destroy the crystal, sound off," said Keith. "The other four of us will be out here, taking down the pillars."_

"Shields down!" reported Pidge, breaking the radio silence, and sure enough the purple sphere rippled away into nothing.

Hunk charged at full speed in his Lion, yelling at the top of his lungs. Yellow's head smashed through the point of one pillar, breaking it into pieces, and the purple disk above it flickered and went out. "Okay, brute force works!" Hunk reported cheerfully.

"Great job, Hunk," answered Keith. Black's jaw blade took out another pillar, and the disk went out. Allura shot ice along the length of her obelisk, and Lance set his on fire.

 _"Get out of there as soon as you can," Shiro said in finality. "The Atlas will make another pass at the pyramid as soon as you're clear."_

Pidge held on to Kosmo as the wolf teleported her and Lotor back to Green. She gripped the joysticks and shoved them forward, and Green rocketed away from the structure. "Green clear!" she called into the comms.

"Fire!" barked Shiro.

The Atlas fired on the central pyramid—and instead of an explosion, the beam folded in on itself, curled into a little blip, and vanished.

"Huh," said Hunk. "That...was weird."

Nothing happened.

All five pyramids burst into roaring purple explosions. The shock wave sent the Lions spiraling back.

" _No!_ " Lotor howled, righting himself and eyes wide in horror as he stared out Green's windshield.

From all five explosions came rippling, dripping streams of purple energy, arcing up and over the pyramid to where the magenta blades spun behind Honerva's mech. A white tear was ripping and sparking to life in the middle of it.

"The Altaens! They're still in there!" cried Pidge as she shoved the joysticks forward.

Lotor gripped her seat and leaned forward, looking distraught.

"Pidge, don't!" rasped Keith.

"MFEs, get out of there!" barked Shiro, and the pilots scattered.

A burst of white light. A shock wave that knocked out the power to Voltron and the Atlas. They floated, lights dark, and looked on at the white hole that had opened in the sky.

Honerva had torn apart reality.

* * *

 **Next up - Episode Thirteen: The End is the Beginning**


	6. Ep 13: The End is the Beginning

**Episode Thirteen: The End Is the Beginning**

Honerva's black and purple mech turned and disappeared into the white circle with a flash. The Voltron Lions were left drifting in the blackness of space, lights dark.

Tears formed in little beads on the corners of Allura's eyes. "We...we failed," she whispered into her helmet.

"We didn't fail yet," growled Keith. Black slowly started to respond, and as he pulled on the joysticks, the Lion lifted its head. "Altas, on me," he rasped. "We gotta go in there."

"I'm afraid the Atlas can't do that!" answered Coran over the comms. "It isn't built with the trans-reality comet ore."

At his place on the platform, Shiro frowned deeply.

"There is a fusion spell that you can use to combine the machines into one," Lotor said slowly. He was in Green, hovering over Pidge's shoulder to be heard over the comm. "I never learned it, but...perhaps Allura knows the way."

"I've...never tried such a thing." Allura frowned. "Would it really work?"

"What do you say, Shiro?"

He didn't respond. The conversation hovered at the edge of Shiro's consciousness as he scanned the screens on his console, teeth gritted. Alerts flashed on several screens, reporting damage.

"Shiro, come on. We need you in there."

One security camera in the halls showed civilians in the Atlas rushing from a damaged zone, half-carrying the injured. Every single diagnostic spat back critically low readouts.

"Shiro? Can you hear us?"

They were in danger. They were hurt and dying. Shiro bent over the console, his eyes shut tight.

"Shiro?"

"Paladins...I'm sorry," he answered with difficulty. "The Altas is nearly destroyed. We're limping on the last dregs of power. My priority is keeping the civilians in here alive. We'll try to hold the rift closed from this end for as long as we can, but you'll have to go in on your own."

"What?!" cried Lance. "But what are we gonna do without the Atlas?"

"What you've always done," answered Shiro, with absolute surety, and as he spoke the words washed like calm over each of the paladins. "Work together. Fight as one. Save the universe."

"Paladins..." said Keith, as their lions all came on and lifted their heads. "Form Voltron."

They did.

And as the combined mech rocketed away towards the white hole of nothingness, with tears in her eyes Pidge blurted, "Mom, Dad, Matt, if you can hear me—I love you! I love you guys so much."

As Sam Holt looked up with a smile, tears formed, and he pushed up his glasses to wipe them away. Colleen had one hand over her mouth and the other on her heart, staring up at the PA with misty eyes. Matt bit his lip as it got wobbly, and N-7 put her arm around his shoulders.

"Coran," said Allura with a bittersweet smile. "Thank you for everything. We never could give you enough credit."

He smiled sadly under his mustache.

Hunk was a blubbering mess. "Tell my mom and dad and everyone back home that I love the-he-hem," he sobbed, "and I'm saving the universe thinking about them!"

"Veronica..." In spite of it all, Lance had to smile.

Veronica smiled up at the screen, determined above all sadness.

"You got this, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said. "Go get 'em, Lance."

In a flash of blue light, Kosmo teleported into Black to whine at the elbow of his master. Keith scratched behind his ears, then went back to gripping the controls.

"Mom...Acxa." His voice was quiet. "I just...I hope I'll make you guys proud."

"You already have," answered Krolia, and even Acxa had to smile.

Kosmo vanished out of Black and appeared on the platform in the Bridge. He looked up at the console and whined.

"And Shiro..."

"Yeah."

There was a silence. Keith felt a lump in his throat.

"Stay safe, Keith. And, uh..." Shiro's voice was low. "I love you back."

Krolia and Acxa turned to him, surprised.

Even Keith was taken aback for a second. "Heh...I though you didn't remember."

"Not a chance," Shiro answered with a smile. Then he put a game face on. "Farewell, Voltron. Go save all the universes."

* * *

Honerva was in heaven.

She'd been dressed in royal robes and welcomed into the court of a living, flourishing Daibazaal. Her husband was there, delighted to see her. Her son was there—perfect, untainted, and young, just as he always should have been.

He was only yards away in the atrium of the palace, and she knelt, her arms spread, to welcome him. "Come to me, my son," she whispered.

The boy hesitated. He took a step back. "No," he peeped.

Honerva's eyes widened. "No?"

"Lotor, please," coaxed Zarkon at her side. "It's your mother."

The boy shook his head. "She is not my motha'." He was convinced, but frightened.

Honerva almost shook in anger.

"Just...give the boy some time," Zarkon pleaded with her. "We thought you were dead. It's a lot to take in."

"No." Little Lotor's voice was soft, young, and firm. "She is _not_ my motha'."

"You..." whispered Honerva. "Don't know what I've done to get here." Fear grew in the boy's eyes as her anger rose. "I came across thousands of universes. I sacrificed _everything_ for you!"

"Including your own son," asserted a new voice.

Honerva stood and whirled on the intruder. There in the doorway, his shadow cast over her by the sunlight, stood Prince Lotor, with the Paladins of Voltron arrayed behind him.

" _You!_ " she snarled. Zarkon left her side and moved to protect his young son.

"Did you forget to mention to your perfect world who it was you left behind?" asked Lotor. "You came all this way for a family, and yet you never tried to make things right with the one you had!"

" _You_ rejected _me!_ " rasped Honerva. "And for that, you will die with this, _and every universe that refused me!_ "

In a cloud of dark smoke, she vanished. Out of nowhere, a purple bolt of lightning shot into Lotor's heart. He screamed in agony and fell to the ground with a black burn mark in his chest.

"Guards!" cried Zarkon, pulling his son to his side as the little prince began to cry.

"She's going back to the mech!" cried Pidge. "We have to stop her!"

Zarkon had knelt by the wounded man's side. "Your friend is too injured for combat," he said, lifting his head. "Leave him here with me. My healers can help him."

"What? No way! We can't leave him in an alternate reality!" cried Hunk.

Keith set his teeth. "I don't think we have a choice."

Lotor coughed. "Leave me," he hissed through the pain. "You _have_ to stop her."

The paladins looked at each other and then headed for the door.

"We'll come back soon," promised Allura. "I hope." Then she took off after the others.

Lotor grimaced, white eyebrows quivering, as footsteps and loud voices gathered around him. But in the chaos, what struck him most was the sensation of a soft, small hand on his cheek.

Lotor opened his eyes with difficulty, then gasped. He was staring right up into the teary eyes of the worried little prince.

"Don't die," the boy peeped.

Lotor's eyes widened, and then he managed half a laugh. "I'll...try."

* * *

Voltron battled Honerva at the beginning of all realities, a white sphere of nothing but light from which emanated every thread of every reality and universe to ever exist. Honerva had destroyed every reality in her rage—all but one—before they pushed her into the light.

The mechs vanished. They were alone—just themselves, and nothing more, on a plane of nothingness and everything at once.

And there, at last, Honerva had been willing to listen.

"It's no use," she said, on her knees in the whiteness. "All of the universes are destroyed."

"All but one," Allura said softly. "There is still a way we can restore them all."

Honerva lifted her head, worry creasing her eyebrows. "All of them? But that would mean..."

"I'm aware of the risks." Allura lowered her eyes. "It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."

"Whoa, whoa, wait," said Hunk, waving his hands, "what sacrifice?"

"Quintessence," answered Allura. "Life must come from life. Which means..." She lifted her head and turned to her friends and teammates. "This is where we say goodbye."

"No. No, no, _no_ , no!" Lance stepped forward and urgently pulled Allura's hands to his chest. "I won't let you do this!"

"Lance—" she began, almost appalled.

"Allura, you told me that we've always been your strength!" cried Lance. "If quintessence is what you need, then—" He exhaled all at once, then pleaded softly, "Don't do this alone. Let us be your strength again. One last time."

Allura looked up at him, feeling his heartbeat under her hands, and her blue eyes filled with tears.

Lance turned to the others behind him. "Am I alone here?" he asked quietly.

"Alone? No way," answered Pidge.

"Nuh-uh." Hunk squared his shoulders.

"Let's do this." Keith's gaze was level.

A deafening, deep, throaty roar shook the space under their feet. Seated in a circle around them, bright in the light and shining like suns themselves, towering over their heads...

"The Lions," whispered Pidge.

Lance felt a lump in his throat.

Black stood up and roared to its pride. They stood to all fours and chorused back.

"They're here," whispered Allura.

"Well, Voltron was always the Defender of the Universe," Lance said with a shaky smile. "I guess they want to help."

Pidge teared up and ran to Green, hugging as much of the Lion's nose as she could. Yellow bent down so Hunk could lie against its jaw and hold on tight. Red nudged Lance in the back, and he laughed.

Keith was stroking the nose of Black. "Thanks for saving Shiro," he whispered. Then Red bent down near him, and Keith scratched its nose too. "And thank you for taking a chance on me."

Blue had its nose in Allura's hands, but it lifted its head when Lance got close.

"You're the one who started all of this," he said quietly. Blue bent down, and Lance set his forehead against the smooth, warm metal. Tears pricked at his eyes. Somehow, someway, he already knew this was goodbye. "I'm gonna miss you, Blue."

Then all the Lions raised their heads. Allura looked up at them, creations of her father's in all their majesty, one last time—and she smiled.

"Are you ready?" She extended her hand to Honerva.

Honerva hesitated. Then, with a thin smile, she placed her hand in Allura's.

A warm glow.

A flash of light.

And then—darkness.

* * *

The paladins woke up drifting in darkness. The heavy black blanket was only pricked by the distant light of stars.

"Everyone?" Keith whispered into his helmet. He felt groggy. "Sound off."

Pidge moaned. "Pidge here."

"Lance here," he whispered.

"Hunk...is present."

There was a pause. Keith felt his heart in his throat.

"I'm...here."

Everyone exhaled at once, then began to laugh. "Thank goodness," Hunk said through a laugh.

Allura smiled. Then she began laughing too.

"All right, link up," said Keith, reaching for Pidge.

She took his arm and grabbed Lance. Lance grabbed Hunk. Hunk reached out for Allura.

Allura floated down and held on to Keith. She lifted her head and looked around outside the circle, confusion on her face. "Where...?"

That's when Keith realized, and his eyes blew up wide. "The Lions."

"Honerva." Allura's voice was tinged with grief. She hung her head. "They're all gone."

All five paladins were quiet. Keith stared at the inside of his helmet.

"Does anybody else feel," Lance asked slowly, "kinda weird?"

"Like...part of you is gone?" Hunk guessed quietly.

"Yeah."

"I think we all do," Allura sighed.

"Well, I might not live as long now." Hunk lifted his head and smiled. "But if it was to save the universes—I think it's okay."

Keith managed a smile. "Pidge," he began, turning to her. "is this—?"

She pulled her arm free—Lance held on to her elbow—and projected a small green screen from her gauntlet. "Yes," she finally whispered, eyes gleaming. "This is our reality."

A blue flash appeared in their circle, and all five paladins yelled in surprise. Kosmo leaped on Keith and tried to lick him through the space helmet, tail frisking joyfully. They all began to laugh.

"H-hey, buddy," Keith managed, grinning, and scratched Kosmo behind the ears. "Wait," he said as the wolf got off of him. "If you're here, that means—"

A large asteroid moved out of the way, and there in sight was the Atlas.

"We're home!" cried Pidge. "Oh my god, we're home!"

The paladins whooped and cheered. Hunk pumped both fists over his head, Pidge sent herself spinning in joy, Keith was grinning uncontrollably for the first time in his life, and Lance and Allura grabbed each other and wouldn't let go.

It took a while for Lance's laughter to die down. "Wait," he said, his eyebrows scrunched. "Does anybody else feel like we're forgetting something?"

The paladins all looked at each other, at a loss for words.

Then they gasped at once.

" _LOTOR!_ "

* * *

 _One year later..._

Earth was a different place after the universe was saved. Technological progress had made leaps and bounds as the Holts championed the combination of Earth and Altean tech into one large, beautiful system. Space travel was common, and Planet Earth, once an obscure, backwater planet, became known as a haven for all citizens of the universe.

Hunk became a master chef and diplomat, with Shay on his culinary team. Lance took to the skies in a blue jet and a fighter pilot's sharp jacket. And Allura eagerly told human and alien children stories at the base of a statue of Voltron, while all of them looked on with wide eyes.

But for now, on this night before the anniversary of Voltron saving the universe, it seemed almost the whole world was asleep.

Keith and Shiro were on the couch in Shiro's little living room, bundled up in a fleece blanket at the end of a movie marathon. Kosmo lay curled up on the floor at their feet, asleep beside a gentle old German Shepherd marked with battle scars from the career in the military that he'd outgrown.

Shiro whistled along to the familiar score of the movie. Keith had his head on his brother's shoulder. They were on the last scene—when the protagonist boarded the white ship and sailed off for the Undying Lands, to rest forever.

"You know," whispered Shiro, as the sail became a distant white speck against a setting sun, "I think I understand how he feels. He saved the world, but...it's never really going to be home for him again. The only way he can get any rest is to leave."

He sounded tired and pensive—exhausted, from everything he'd been through. Shiro talked like that a lot these days.

Keith lifted his head from his shoulder. He'd come all this way from space, and still Shiro was being a downer. "Come on, Shiro," he said with a frown. "It's the big day tomorrow."

"I know," he answered with a chuckle, "and I'll be happy then. But for now—if there's anyone I feel I can tell the truth, it's you."

Keith had to smile.

 _"I will not say, 'do not weep,'"_ ran a line spoken just a few minutes ago, _"for not all tears are an evil."_

So he didn't press it. Instead, he put his head on Shiro's shoulder again and listened to the violins as they watched the credits go by. "Maybe it would make you happy if you had someone special to share it with," he muttered.

Shiro scoffed. "That's a strange suggestion, coming from you."

Keith shrugged.

Shiro's white eyebrows knit in his forehead. "I'm not getting into a romantic relationship until I can get myself sorted out," he said quietly. The next sentence was almost a sigh. "It's a lot to get through."

Keith hummed in thought. "How's therapy going?"

Shiro emptied his lungs in a long exhale. "It...it helps." He smiled. "Gives me a chance to work through all of it. They're thinking of assigning me a therapy dog. For the..." He sighed. "The post-traumatic stress."

Keith made another small noise. Then he laughed slightly. "I don't think Commander would be too happy about the competition."

At the sound of his name, the sleeping German Shepherd's ears twitched, and he raised its head and yawned. Jostled, Kosmo peeled one eye open, then curled up tighter and went back to sleep.

"Well, he warmed up to Kosmo soon enough," Shiro said with a smile. "I think it'd be fine."

Commander stumbled to his feet, shook himself head to tail, and leaped up on the couch next to Shiro, his mouth open and tongue lolling out in the way that makes dogs look like they're smiling.

"Hey, you," Shiro said warmly and scratched him under the ears.

"You let him on the couch?" asked Keith, one corner of his lips slipping up as he reached to pet Commander. "Mom hates it when Kosmo does that."

Shiro chuckled. "I just can't say no to that face. Spoiled dog."

Commander was balancing on three paws, the stump of his right foreleg tucked underneath him. He scooted and skipped to be closer to Keith, and then flopped down right on Shiro's lap.

Shiro made a small _"oof"_ noise like the wind had been knocked out of him. "Heavy, spoiled dog," he ground out.

Keith started to laugh. Shiro squeezed his shoulders and laughed with him.

Not everything sad had been undone. Not everything lost in the battle had been regained. But ever so slowly, the universe had found its feet again—and it had begun to heal.

* * *

The seven who could call themselves the Defenders of the Universe met together under the statue of Voltron early that next morning. It was a clear day, soft clouds to shade them from the sun, and there were hugs and greetings and laughter all around.

"Man," Hunk said with a sigh of contentment, and he stuck his hands in his shorts pockets. "I can't believe it's already been a year!"

"I can," Pidge teased. "When we saved the universe, you didn't have that embarrassing little scruff on your chin."

"Hey!" Hunk rubbed his face and chuckled. "I'm working on it."

"Well, you're guilty of the same thing," Shiro said with a grin. He threw his arm around Pidge's shoulders and dragged her closer. "Last year you weren't this _tall,_ " he exclaimed as she yelped in jest and pretended to wrestle him off. "I mean, how is this even fair?"

"Oh my gosh, she's past your shoulders!" Hunk gasped. "What did you do?"

"Ha!" Lance shook in laughter, barely able to hold on to Allura's hand. "Long, thin, green—Pidge is a green bean!"

Pidge burst out laughing.

Allura chuckled. "While we're on the subject," she said slyly, "I need you all to settle an argument for me. Look at Coran's hair and tell me—is that silver, or white?"

"Princess, I'm appalled at you!" cried Coran. "Low-balling like that. It's only the roots, and it's silver." He leaned in and gave everyone else the stink-eye as Allura giggled into her hand. "Don't let her tell you otherwise."

"Everyone looks great," Keith said with a smile. The old scar on his face from the energy sword was still there, but it had faded slightly—it was thinner, paler, and starting to heal, as all scars eventually do. But he had also earned a few new ones to keep it company.

"Oh, yeah, Keith, I've been meaning to ask—how are the Blades?" Hunk asked eagerly. Then he hushed his voice to add, "Oh, or is that all secret?"

Keith chuckled. "Most of the specifics of our ops are secret, but I can tell you this. We've still got a couple warlords and rebel factions causing trouble in certain quadrants. Most of the Galra united under the Voltron Coalition, but others refused to make the shift."

"It's really incredible that _any_ of them did," said Shiro. "It isn't easy to throw off a tradition of dominance at all cost."

"It really is a pity," said Allura. "The Galra show steadfastness and determination that could be instrumental to maintaining peace in the universe. They're wonderful people. It's such a waste that their energies were directed the wrong way for so long."

Then she frowned. The other six had fallen silent—and they all seemed to be thinking about the same person.

"Where d'ya think Lotor is now?" Lance asked quietly, one hand in the pocket of his pilot jacket.

"Probably still in the alternate reality," answered Pidge.

"I feel terrible for leaving him there," said Allura, "but I suppose it couldn't be helped."

"It seemed pretty nice," Hunk offered with a shrug. "Maybe he's happy there."

"I hope so," said Allura. Secretly, she hoped against hope they were happy with _him_.

* * *

The little Galra Prince Lotor had lived ten solar cycles now. He was ten and three-quarters deca-pheebs old, and his arms and legs were starting to get too long for his body, but it was a good age because it's when Father finally allowed him into the lab while his brother was working.

Lotor swung his feet, staring at blueprints and watching as little drops of colored water slipped out of the dropper and into the beaker. He wasn't allowed to play with real chemicals yet. Father said he could only do that when he was older.

"Lotarius," Lotor called to the other figure in the lab, "when can I have the real chemicals?"

The tall, purple-skinned man had done up his white hair for safety, and he wore a lab coat and pressed buttons on a screen over the clear box that held a comet fragment. He chuckled warmly. "Not yet, little one."

Lotor sputtered with his lips and dropped his chin onto the lab table. "That's all everyone says, 'not yet'. But I want it now!"

"Trust me," answered Lotarius, "no one knows the danger of a power possessed too young better than I do. We're doing it to protect you."

"Everyone says that too," griped Lotor.

When Lotarius didn't answer, and instead peered closer at the screen in front of him, Lotor raised his head.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm running a simulation to try to predict the isotope frequency in the nuclei that causes trans-reality comets to make passage."

"In real words?" grumbled Lotor.

That's when Lotarius remembered who he was talking to. "I'm...trying to find out what changes in comets that makes them move between realities. If I can predict that, I might be able to mimic the natural passage of the comets to make safe, stable rifts."

Lotor was quiet. His chin tucked in close to his chest. "You're still trying to get back?"

Hearing the sadness in his voice, Lotarius paused the simulation and turned around. "Of course," he said gently.

"Why?" asked Lotor. "Aren't you happy here?"

"Of course I am, little one. Your people have given me a wonderful home." Lotarius sighed and turned back to his screen. "But they accept me, largely, because many of them have no idea what I've done."

There was determination in Lotarius' eyes, and the purple of the screen reflected in them. "There is only one universe in which I was given a second chance, after I'd done everything in my power not to deserve it."

The red one had given him peace with his heritage. The yellow one had offered comfort through a taste of home. The blue one had extended sympathy, when he could have presented animosity. The green one simply trusted him when her life was on the line. And Allura—

Allura.

Allura had saved his life.

"I at least have to go back to say thank you," Lotarius said softly, "and to set it right."

Lotor was quiet. "Oh. Okay."

Lotarius turned around. The boy sat on the stool that was too tall for him, staring down at his feet as he kicked them half-heartedly.

Lotarius sighed. He crossed the room, knelt by his side, and put his hand on the boy's back. "What's wrong, Lotor?"

Lotor looked up at his brother, and tears shimmered in his wide eyes. He reached his little arms around Lotarius' neck and held on tight. "I don't want you to go. I love you."

Lotarius' eyes were wide. He was stunned and slightly terrified.

 _Love._

 _Love..._

 _Love?_

But as he stood there longer, stuck in the boy's embrace, he began to relax, relenting, and finally he put his arms around him and held him tight.

"I...love you, as well," he managed.

A small electronic chime went off on a nearby screen. Lotarius lifted his head—and what he saw made him straighten and his eyebrows knit.

"What is it?" asked Lotor as he let go, wiping his eyes with a fist.

"It's a message from Patrol Team Zeta." Lotarius hit a few buttons, expanding the text of the message. What he read sent excitement and hope thrumming through his veins. "There's something they want me to see."

He took his hair down, hung his lab coat and goggles on the wall, and grabbed a deep violet jacket as he raced for the door.

"Wait!" cried Lotor.

Lotarius popped his head back into the lab. "What is it?"

Lotor was nervously fidgeting with his hands. "Promise you'll come back safe."

Lotarius chuckled. "I promise."

* * *

"We picked it up on our scanners two vargas ago and immediately came to investigate," said Slav. He stood by the viewing window of Patrol Team Zeta's little ship, peering at something outside among the stars.

"Thees ees vhat you're looking vor, Prince Lotarius?" Sven bent down, his hand on the upper frame of the ship, to see out the low window.

"Indeed," answered Lotarius, but even after all his study, his breath was still taken away at the sight of it.

There in the near distance, black against the stars—at times, partly translucent, and at other times glowing and sending ripples of lighting down an otherwise invisible seam in the fabric of reality—a large comet, pocked with craters, was making transition.

"Doctor Slav, how long until the rift closes?" asked Lotarius.

Slav used one of his available hands to pull out a little hand-held device and three others to frantically push buttons on it. "According to my calculations, the rift will stay stable until the comet completes inter-reality transition in three deca-pheebs."

"Very good." Lotarius tossed his hair back out of his face and fitted the helmet back onto his head. "Then I'm going in. Thank you for your help."

"Be zafe, your 'ighness," said Sven with a sharp salute.

"And be very careful," warned Slav. "There is a 2.6% chance that on the other side of that rift, the Alteans are dictators who have used their knowledge of science and alchemy to create an inescapable iron grip on all the denizens of the known universe!"

"Do you really tink dat vould 'appen?" asked Sven, raising a dark eyebrow.

"Anything is possible in alternate realities, Sven," Slav answered smugly.

"I'll be careful," Lotarius cut in before the conversation could spiral any further. "Thank you."

Lotarius' pod was built for speed and infused with trans-reality comet ore. So were the armor plates on his suit. As he glided towards the rift, he took a deep breath and let it out, partially fogging the visor of his helmet for a moment.

Light. Purple streaks of lightning. A rumble, and turbulence. And then—he was on the other side.

He checked his instruments in his ship first. Everything looked promising, so he tapped a button and opened up a hailing frequency. "This is Prince Lotari—er, Prince Lotor, of the Galra Empire, hailing Planet Earth. Do you copy?"

* * *

At the same moment, Matt and Pidge were in the garage working on Chip. Pidge was adding the last finishing touches to the android before showing him off to the others.

"Huh," said Matt, leaning over the transmitter. "That's weird. Were you expecting an intergalactic transmission today?"

Pidge raised an eyebrow and turned the volume up to hear, _"Prince Lotor, of the Galra Empire, hailing Planet Earth. Do you copy?"_

"Holy quiznak!" cried Pidge, and she took off running out of the garage. "Guys! Guys! _Lotor is back!_ "

* * *

When Romelle heard a knock on her door, she didn't think anything of it. She was used to visitors—especially today, on the anniversary of Voltron saving the universe.

"Come in!" she called over her shoulder, before returning to patting down the soil around a new potted juneberry flower on her windowsill. Then she dusted off her hands on her Earth pants—jeans, they were called—before she turned around.

Romelle caught her breath. There, in the doorway, awkwardly holding his helmet in his hand, was Lotor.

"Hello, Romelle," he began, not quite looking at her. "I'm terribly sorry if I'm interrupting, but the others said I should speak to you first and—"

"How are you here?" she interrupted him, stepping forward. "They said you were lost in another reality."

"Trans-reality comet rift," he answered. "I've been searching for deca-pheebs; I had to come back and find a way to make right what I've done."

Romelle's thin eyebrows knit in her forehead as she looked away.

Lotor sighed. "I should be clear. I'm not asking for your forgiveness."

"That's all right. You already have it."

Lotor's eyes were wide as he finally lifted his head and met her eyes. "What?" he stammered. "But I've done nothing—"

"To deserve it?" Romelle chuckled. "I think that's the point. This doesn't mean you can do it again," she added firmly. "You're still not our leader."

"Oh, no. I wouldn't want to be." He looked supremely uncomfortable.

Romelle had to smile. "But I have had some time to think in this Earth year, and I do forgive you. Not for your sake, but mine." Quieter, and rubbing the knuckles on her hand where they'd been bandaged a year ago, she added, "Living in anger will only eat someone up on the inside. I don't want to live like that."

Lotor was staring at his boots, white eyebrows creased. "Everyone here has been so kind. Undeservedly so. I still don't know that I ought to receive a second chance at all."

Romelle's smile was soft. "There's a very old Altean saying that says, 'The good man is not the one who never falls. The good man is the one who gets back up again.'"

She lifted her head and looked Lotor, the one man she'd hated most in all her life, right in his eye and told him, "If you truly regret what you've done, try to make it right. It's what we all did. And together—" Her voice got low. "Maybe, someday, we can make a better future."

Lotor smiled. He looked out the window at the setting sun turning the sky on Earth ablaze with orange, reds, and purples, and said, "I think you already have."

Over the head of the statue of Voltron, visible through the glass domed roof of the new home of the Voltron Coalition, and shining down on the original seven who were laughing and shoving each other and recounting old memories, five stars—red, yellow, green, blue, purple—appeared to bid farewell to the setting sun, and twinkle together in their bright cluster in the sky.

 **The End**

* * *

 **A/N:** And that's it! I hope you enjoyed this story. I'm sorry I couldn't include the original paladins, but I feel like their original context in the show was sloppy and I couldn't find any way to fit them in well here. I'm sure they're all alive and well in Honerva's "perfect reality". (Also, in case you're wondering, the movie that Keith and Shiro were watching was Return of the King, the last in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.)

This is my usual fare, as far as my fanfics go: people talk things out, redemption arcs, bromance. If you like Keith and Shiro and feel like their big fight in S6 needed more closure, you might like my fic **Brother** , which is the only other VLD fic I have written at the moment. If anyone has recs for other friendship fics in this fandom, please hit me up, because I'd love to read them.

Reviews are juneberry flowers. Okay, peace out!


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